Cuckoos of Mallacoota

In the Spring a birder's thoughts turn to migrants.  In temperate areas at least Cuckoos are contenders for the most obvious migrants as they are almost completely absent over Winter ...

...  and tend to announce their return by loud, and distinctive, calls.  Their habit (lifestyle? - if birds can be said to have a lifestyle) of brood parasitism tends to get them plenty of media exposure.

Seven members of the Cuckoo family have been recorded in the Mallacoota area and they will be considered in detail.  (I have added a note about two other (very faint) possibilities at the end of this post.)  The Checklist only includes 5 species.

I now have a few tools I refer to when doing these 'family' posts.  It will make life simpler if I list them now, together with some shorthand in some cases to save my typing:

• Birds of Mallacoota 1979 (the book)
• eBird
• Birdlife Australia, East Gippsland Branch Checklist of Bush Birds (the checklist)
• Birdlife Australia Birdata database (Birdata)
• Handbook of Australian New Zealand and Antarctic Birds (HANZAB)
• The New Atlas of Australian Birds (the Atlas).
• The Australian Bird Guide (Menkhorst et al) - The Guide
• Avibase (as a source of photographs and calls - the calls in particular are very useful for locating and identifying members of this family)

Pacific Koel (Eudynamis orientalis)

Before getting down to details of this species I will note that there are many names for this cuckoo.  It's a mess which I have tried to describe at the end of this post.  In summary anything in this area called a Koel is this species.  Don't worry about the word(s) before 'Koel'.  Formally, I use 'Pacific Koel' as that is what eBird uses while informally Koel is OK as there is only one species in this area.

The appearance of the female and male birds is very different.

Female

Male

I expect that most Koel records are based on calls, which are frequent, loud and far-carrying.  There are a wide range of calls by this species of which the simplest to identify is the onomatopoeic "koel" usually given by the male.  Another common call, written as "wirra wirra", is apparently an excitement call by a male when a female or females are present.  Both those calls are in this page, followed by the "keek-keek" call of the female.

The book notes the first records - accompanied by 'specimens' - for Victoria from Lakeview in about 1917 and recent (ie close to 1979) records from the Howe Ranges.  EBird records commence in 2004 but reach significant numbers in 2014 and grow since then.  I suspect the adoption of eBird explains more of this pattern than changes in the behaviour of the bird.  (That being said, when we moved to Canberra in 1983 the species was unknown there but is now a common Summer breeding bird so the range is broadening - climate change anyone??)

I regard the Koel as a quite common bird in Summer at Mallacoota.  They arrive in late October  and depart - or at least stop calling - by early March.

Their usual hosts are large honeyeaters, Magpie-larks and Figbirds.  In Canberra all records of breeding have used Red Wattlebirds as hosts, and it is thought that the Koels may time their arrival to coincide with the laying of second broods of Red Wattlebird eggs (which may be less strongly defended by the hosts).  Any observations of young Koels being fed would be most welcome.

Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae)

Image by Harvey Perkins via COG Photo Gallery

A very large grey bird with a massive bill.  In flight the size of the bill gives it a cross-like profile.  Of the few I have observed I have first noted the call: described by a naturalist friend, also keen on jazz, as like Miles Davis in his most experimental mode.  Here is a recording - it is very attention-grabbing.

The book notes records from Maramingo Creek in 5 of 10 years leading up to 1979.  The species is shown as occurring in this area in the Atlas and Birdata, but is not shown in the Checklist.  There are only 11 records on eBird mainly from the built up area or Gipsy Point.  Two records are from Shady Gully Caravan Park and one from Dowell Creek: this seems consistent with the species feeding on figs in rainforest (in the past they were reliably seen most Summers in a huge Moreton Bay Fig beside the River in Moruya).  ALA records figs at Smellies Inlet and Karbeethong and a huge fig tree is in the gully above Dowell Creek.

The records are spread across the months from October to February.  

According to the Atlas the furthest South breeding has occurred in approximately Narooma, with the hosts being appropriately large birds (Ravens and Currawongs).

Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites basalis)

A much smaller bird.  Typically first noticed by the distinctive call.  The key aspect to the call is that it is always descending.  (The Shining Bronze Cuckoo (next species) also calls like this on occasion but reverts swiftly to an ascending call.)

If the Horsfields BC is seen the three key field marks are indicated above:

1. Rufous in the outer tail feathers;
2. Dark eyestripe - but note the entry for the very unlikely Black-eared Cuckoo later in this post); and 
3. a break in the barring on the breast.

The book describes this species as 'quite common in all forested areas'.  It is this surprising to find that eBird only has 49 records (compared to 140 for the Koel).  The standout hotspot for this species is Shipwreck Creek with 14 checklists.  There are very few in the urban areas.

They usually begin to arrive in September.  While there are 2 records for August the records for September are all in the last week.

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites lucidus)

Image by Stuart Harris via COG Photo Gallery

Again often first picked up by call.  The usual mnemonic for this call is "like a person whistling a dog" and even if it begins to call with descending notes (similar to the Horsfields BC) it will soon revert to the upwards inflected call.  

When seen, the field marks are the opposite of those for the Horsfields BC.  No rufous in the tail, face whitish and the breast bands are unbroken (or very close thereto).  See also the discussion of the NZ subspecies of this species in "Technical issues" below.

The book describes these as "also quite common".  EBird records them much more frequently in this area with 190 records.  The records come from a wide range of sites, with the more normal high proportion of sightings (70 records in total) from the urban areas of Mallacoota, Karbeethong and Gipsy Point.

The Spring records commence in September but are spread throughout the month.  I would not be surprised to record one in late August in future.

Pallid Cuckoo (Cacomantis pallidus)

Male

female

Immature

The call of the male is again distinctive.  In Spring it may also be answered by a harsh squawk call from a female as in this example - the female response comes 7 seconds in.  (In my view, such a call-response sequence constitutes courtship activity and is thus a breeding record.)

In terms of appearance the bill and overall shape identifies it as a cuckoo and regardless of demography they are a much more pallid bird than the other local cuckoos of a similar size.

The book comments "This bird can usually be seen or heard in most wooded areas during spring and summer."  This implies the bird is quite common.  That view is not supported by eBird with only 36 records, mainly from the generic sites.  Possibly the explanation is given in the Guide which says the species prefers lightly timbered sites: in the Mallacoota area the habitat tends to be residential or quite heavily timbered (or heath).

The records show the birds arrive in September with a peak of records in October-November.

Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis)

Male

Female

At the risk of repeating myself, the call of the male bird is distinctive!  The appearance is also quite easy to identify, although in poor light there can be some confusion with Brush Cuckoo.  The key field mark is the prominent yellow eye-ring.

The book rates the species as quite common, and with 269 eBird records this is the commonest cuckoo in the area.  The species is widely distributed over the area with records from 47 localities, reflecting all habitats.

The birds mainly arrive in September.  There are records for all months except June and July (some birds over-Winter in Canberra in most years: they are less likely to be reported when not calling (calling tends to be in Spring-Summer when trying to attract a mate).  Calling birds are in Mallacoota in 3rd week of August.

Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus)

Image by flickr quickr via Avibase

Fledgling

The call of this species causes me difficulties every year when first heard.  Possibly this is poor aural memory as the descending call - transcribed as "fear, fear, fear" - is quite obvious.  When seen it is possible to confuse males, showing above average rufous on the breast, with Fan-tailed Cuckoo but the lack of a yellow eye-ring always clarifies the identification.  As usually the case with cuckoos the heavily patterned fledglings are rather unusual looking.

As with Pallid Cuckoo the book rates the bird as more common than is reflected by eBird, which only has 38 records.  The 'hot' area for the bird seems to be on the Northern/Eastern side of the Inlet, but I can't explain this.

The few records indicate arrival in September.

Aspirational/Very Unlikely Species

I have included these species as they seem to be the most likely to be added to the list.  If either are seen a photograph (or a corpse, if that is the condition when observed) would be needed to prove the  sighting.  I must say it was extremely helpful to be able to call up, instantly and online, all records from eBird for these species so that dates and locations could be discussed,

Oriental Cuckoo (Cucuclus optatus)

This species appears to be extending it range down the East Coast with eBird having 64 records in NSW.  However 39 of those records are of a single female bird from Eastlakes Golf Course in Sydney between 8 and 24 March 2017.   There are 4 records South of Sydney including a very definite sighting of a male bird (photo included and ID made by very expert birder) from Goulburn on 20 January 2019.  Interestingly another expert birder saw a male at Wilton (a few kilometres NE of Goulburn) on 8 January 2019 - surely the same bird (or a massive coincidence that two such rare birds were seen so close together).

Here is the eBird map for the species in Southern NSW:

Birdata is broadly similar but includes a sighting from the Bega area (but I can make to comment on the timing or reliability of that sighting).

Here is the Eastlakes (female) bird:

Image by Martin and Penny Potter via eBIRD

And here is the Goulburn bird:

Image by Ashlea Maloney via Birdline NSW via eBird

This is a large bird - close in size to a small Koel - and resembles a Pallid Cuckoo but with clear barring on chest.

As this would be a first sighting for Victoria any confirmed observations should be reported to the Victorian Ornithological Records Assessment Committee (VORAC) as well as other sites.

Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus)

A bird of Northern Australia, uncommon South of Gosford with the most Southerly records in Birdata at Jervis Bay.  Ebird has a similar pattern withe a furthest South record just North of Bateman's Bay.  However I have heard an anecdote of one being seen on Watertrust Rd so include it here.  A very large bird (close to the size of a Lyrebird), which I think looks like a mobile haystack in it's usual grassy habitat!

Image by naturgucker.de via Avibase

Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans)

Another small Cuckoo. about the size of the Bronze-Cuckoos.  As shown in this map from eBird its usual range is 'out West'.

 However the species is becoming more commonly reported in the ACT and Birdata shows a record near Point Hicks - so with a strong West wind ....

A small cuckoo with a plain breast and a heavy black eye stripe.

The pictured bird is fresh from moulting.  As the breast feathers become worn the breast becomes much closer to white in colour.

Technical issues

The naming of Koels

Before getting down to discussion the name of this bird requires a few comments, to hopefully avoid confusion.  It is commonly the case that taxonomists review and change the classification of birds as further knowledge comes along.  That is to be expected as knowledge increases and usually changes are infrequent.  In the case of this species the situation is ridiculous with at least 4 vernacular names being used by various authorities at various times in the last 40 years.  

• The book has an entry for Indian Koel (E. scopolacea) which is now a different species with only one bird recorded from Barrow Island in NW WA.  That scientific name is also used in HANZAB 1999, attached to Common Koel.  Other references now use E. scopolaceus for the Asian Koel!
• The Guide and the Checklist both refer to Eastern Koel (E. orientalis) based on the 'official' Birdlife Australia names;
• EBird, Avibase and the IOC World Bird List agree that our species is E orientalis but call it the Pacific Koel.

Unfortunately with .....

• 5 subspecies of  E. scopolaceus and 8 subspecies for E. orientalis; 
• a constant need for academic papers to justify tenure; 
• DNA sequencing being as stable as a jelly on a razor blade; and
• much acceptance of taxonomy being driven by hierarchies (think Game of Thrones or The Sopranos) rather than evidence

....  I don't expect this situation to get any better anytime soon.

Shining Bronze-cuckoo

In the past the species was apparently split into two which can be described as the Australian subspecies C. l. palogosus and New Zealand subspecies C. l. lucidus.  (I have used 'C' in those names as eBird, and the IOC call the Genus 'Chrysococcyx'  while Birdlife Australia use 'Chalcites'.)  They were then merged into the one species, but there is interest by taxonomists in re-splitting them - presumably the DNA sequence is a bit interesting,  The NZ subspecies has not been reported in Victoria so it is of value if any observations of the NZ subspecies in this State are so identified.

As the NZ subspecies was the first described it appears to be called 'Shining Bronze-Cuckoo' while the Australian subspecies is the 'Golden Bronze-Cuckoo'.  While the book quotes both names, I predict a major ruckus if the current species is split and that situation continues.

This subspecies is on the Victorian Ornithological Records Assessment Committee (VORAC) watch list so any confirmed observations should be reported to them (as well as other sites).

It is noteworthy that eBird has 32,128 worldwide records for the species.  Of these 879 (2.7%) are identified to the subspecies level and 69 records (3 Solomon Islands; 8 New Zealand and 58 Australian) are designated C. l. lucidus.  According to the range described in HANZAB, the other 5,370 NZ records, only shown to species level, are presumably also the lucidus ssp.

WRT to identifying the two subspecies the HANZAB account for C l lucidus commences with "While adult male lucidus readily separated from male plagosus, adult females much more difficult to identify ... ".  The field marks cited are that lucidus:

1. has a pale base to the lower mandible;
2. has more white specks on the forehead; and
3. shows a gradual, rather than abrupt, change in colour between the cap and upperparts of the body

Such changes will be readily apparent to banders, or if the bird is close and low-down.  However I would not be confident of making the split if the bird is silhouetted in the upper foliage of a 20m high eucalypt!  In my experience the latter is the more usual situation.

Reporting young Cuckoos

I have checked with eBird about how to report the birds in a situation where a young bird is observed being fed by a host. The rules are:

• If the cuckoo is still in the nest, the correct code is "NY" for both species. 
• If the cuckoo is out of the nest, the correct codes are "FL" for the cuckoo and "FY" for the host, as you described. 
• And, yes, it's a great idea to include notes with additional information. 

I don't know what the rules are for Birdata.

Migration destinations of our species

From a perusal of the species accounts in HANZAB a summary is as follows.  Note that most accounts begin "Poorly known."

Species	Destination
Pacific Koel	PNG, possibly Philippines
Channel-billed Cuckoo	PNG. Moluccas
Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo	Northern Australia, PNG, Java and Lesser Sundas
Shining Bronze-Cuckoo	Northern Australia, PNG and Lesser Sundas
Pallid Cuckoo	Not clear.  Probably Northern Australia
Fan-tailed Cuckoo	Some don't migrate.  When do, mainly N Australia with some to PNG
Brush Cuckoo	Mainly PNG