Little Bronze Cuckoo

About the Little Bronze Cuckoo

The little bronze cuckoo (Chalcites minutillus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Chrysococcyx. It is a common brood parasite of birds from the genus Geryone. This cuckoo is found in Southeast Asia, New Guinea and some parts of Australia, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is the world's smallest cuckoo. The pied bronze cuckoo was formerly considered to be a subspecies. Other common names for the little bronze cuckoo include the red-eyed bronze cuckoo and the Malay green cuckoo. It has 11 subspecies which are generally recognized.

As the world's smallest cuckoo, the little bronze cuckoo measures 15-16 centimeters (5.9-6.3 in) in length and weighs 14.5-17.0 grams (0.51-0.60 oz). The females are slightly larger than the males. The generation length of the Little Bronze Cuckoo is approximately three years.

The little bronze cuckoo is characterized by its bronze-green upperparts, white underparts with dark barring, and a distinctive white spot behind the eye. It has a slender body and a long tail, allowing it to maneuver swiftly through dense vegetation. In flight, it is described... Wikipedia →