Shining Cuckoo
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae
Genus: Chrysococcyx
Species: C. lucidus
Scientific name: Chrysococcyx lucidus
Common names: Shining cuckoo, Shining Bronze Cuckoo, Golden Bronze Cuckoo, Golden Bronze-Cuckoo, Golden-bronze Cuckoo, Shining Cuckoo, Golden Cuckoo, Pipiwharauroa
The shining cuckoo is one of only two terrestrial birds that migrate beyond New Zealand. Shining cuckoos are common and widespread throughout New Zealand from about October to February, and they winter over in the Solomon Islands and Lesser Sundas islands and the Bismark Archipelago returning to New Zealand and Chatham Is in September.
The shining cuckoo is metallic bronze green, barred dark green on a white face and underparts and has a short tail.
From mid-October the shining cuckoo lays a single egg in the nest of a grey warbler, the usual host species. The egg is larger and a different colour being olive green. It hatches at approximately 15 days and when a few days old evicts the other grey warbler eggs or chicks. The chick fledges at about 19 days and continues to be fed by both grey warblers for at least 4 weeks.
The shining cuckoo is metallic bronze green, barred dark green on a white face and underparts and has a short tail.
From mid-October the shining cuckoo lays a single egg in the nest of a grey warbler, the usual host species. The egg is larger and a different colour being olive green. It hatches at approximately 15 days and when a few days old evicts the other grey warbler eggs or chicks. The chick fledges at about 19 days and continues to be fed by both grey warblers for at least 4 weeks.
The diet of cuckoos is interesting because they eat warningly-coloured, hairy, partly toxic caterpillars and other insects that most birds avoid. . As for other foods shining cuckoos take flies, gnats, fruit-slugs, moths, and butterflies.
This is a juvenile bird, so has recently left the nest. Shining cuckoos target grey warblers to lay their eggs... even though they are about twice the size and the grey warblers continue to feed it after it leaves the nest..
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