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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Cuculidae
  4. ›
  5. Chalcites
  6. ›
  7. Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo
Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo
Photo · (c) Andrew Allen, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo

Chalcites basalis(Horsfield, 1821)

Updated 11 June 2026

Conservation status: Least ConcernOrigin: Breeding Endemic
Order
CUCULIFORMES
Family
Cuculidae
Genus
Chalcites

At a glance

The Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo is a small bird, about 16 cm long, listed as Least Concern. It can be seen year-round.

Size
16 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Breeding Endemic
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Endemic
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo look like?

The Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo is a small bird, about 16 cm long and weighing 17–32 g.

Horsfield's bronze cuckoo is a small cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. Its size averages 22 g (0.78 oz) and is distinguished by its green and bronze iridescent colouring on its back and incomplete brown barring from neck to tail. Horsfield's bronze cuckoo can be distinguished from other bronze cuckoos by its white eyebrow and brown eye stripe. The Horsfield's bronze cuckoo is common throughout Australia preferring the drier open woodlands away from forested areas. This species was formerly placed in the genus Chrysococcyx.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
16 cm
Weight
17–32 g
Wingspan
32 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo?

The Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo is present across its Australian range year-round, so it can be seen in any month.

  1. Jan
  2. Feb
  3. Mar
  4. Apr
  5. May
  6. Jun
  7. Jul
  8. Aug
  9. Sep
  10. Oct
  11. Nov
  12. Dec

04 · Voice

What it sounds like

Call

jimchurches · Woodstock, Remainder of ACT, AU-CT, AU

0s

Call

jimchurches · Woodstock, Remainder of ACT, AU-CT, AU

0s

Call

jimchurches · Nabiac NSW 2312, Australia

0s

Call

Will Cornwell · Bungwahl NSW 2423, Australia

0s

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo eat?

The Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

06 · Gallery

Plumage up close

6 photos

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo live in Australia?

The Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo is found in Australia, recorded across 94 of Australia’s bioregions, with a core range spanning australia and Tasmania.

Breeding range
Australia and Tasmania
Non-breeding range
To Indonesian Arch.