Oriental Cuckoo
Cuculus optatus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCuculiformes (Cuckoos)
- FamilyCuculidae (Cuckoos)
- GenusCuculus (Typical Old World Cuckoos)
- SpeciesCuculus optatus (Oriental Cuckoo)
About the Oriental Cuckoo
The Oriental cuckoo or Horsfield's cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) is a bird belonging to the genus Cuculus in the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Himalayan cuckoo (C. saturatus), with the name 'Oriental cuckoo' used for the combined species. Differences in voice and size suggest that it should be treated as a separate species. The binomial name Cuculus horsfieldi has often been used instead of Cuculus optatus, but is now usually considered to be a junior synonym.
It is 30–32 centimetres long with a wingspan of 51–57 centimetres and a weight of 73–156 grams. The adult male has a grey head, breast and upperparts. The belly is creamy-white with dark bars. The vent is frequently buff with few markings. The legs and feet are orange-yellow and there is a bare yellow ring around the eye. Adult females and juveniles occur in two morphs. The grey morph is similar to the male but has a brownish wash on the breast. The rufous morph is reddish-brown above, paler on the underparts and with strong dark bands all over including the rump.
The common cuckoo (C. canorus) is very similar in appearance but is slightly bulkier with longer wings and... Wikipedia →
Closest Relatives at Raja Ampat
Rusty-breasted Cuckoo
Cacomantis variolosus
Channel-billed Cuckoo
Scythrops novaehollandiae
Little Bronze Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx minutillus
Lesser Black Coucal
Centropus bernsteini
Greater Black Coucal
Centropus menbeki
Dwarf Koel
Microdynamis parva
White-crowned Koel
Caliechthrus leucolophus
Pacific Koel
Eudynamys orientalis
Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo
Cacomantis castaneiventris
Shining Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx lucidus
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Taroko National Park | 🇹🇼 Taiwan | |
| 2 | Nikko National Park | 🇯🇵 Japan | |
| 3 | Raja Ampat | 🇮🇩 Indonesia | |
| 4 | Daintree National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 5 | Litchfield National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 6 | Springbrook National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 7 | Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park | 🇲🇳 Mongolia | |
| 8 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 9 | Lamington National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia | |
| 10 | Royal National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Oriental Cuckoo in Raja Ampat?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Oriental Cuckoo sighting in Raja Ampat, based on 33 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Oriental Cuckoo in Raja Ampat?
November has the highest sighting rate for Oriental Cuckoo in Raja Ampat in our monthly data.