About the Fan-tailed Cuckoo
The fan-tailed cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Australia, Fiji, New Caledonia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The fan-tailed cuckoo is about 25–27 cm (9.8–10.6 in) long. The fan-tailed cuckoo has a slate-grey head, back and wings, rufous underparts and barred black and white tail. Its eye is surrounded by a yellow orbital eye ring which helps to distinguish it from the smaller and paler brush cuckoo (C. variolosus) and the also smaller chestnut-breasted cuckoo (C. castaneiventris).
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
What the Fan-tailed Cuckoo sounds like
Where the Fan-tailed Cuckoo lives
When to see the Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Peak activity in October · a resident species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Sahul Brush CuckooCacomantis variolosusThe Sahul brush cuckoo is about 22–26 cm (8.7–10.2 in) long.
Plaintive CuckooCacomantis merulinusThe plaintive cuckoo is fairly small, measuring about 21–24 cm (8.3–9.4 in) long.
Grey-bellied CuckooCacomantis passerinusThe grey-bellied cuckoo is one of the smaller cuckoos, at a total length of about 23 cm.
Side by side: Fan-tailed Cuckoo vs Guira Cuckoo
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