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  1. Species
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  3. Cuculidae
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  5. Chalcites
  6. ›
  7. Little Bronze Cuckoo
Little Bronze Cuckoo
Photo · (c) Ged Tranter, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Little Bronze Cuckoo

Chalcites minutillus(Gould, 1859)

Updated 21 March 2026

Conservation status: Least ConcernOrigin: Native
Order
CUCULIFORMES
Family
Cuculidae
Genus
Chalcites

At a glance

The Little Bronze Cuckoo is a small bird, about 14–17 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
14–17 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Behaviour

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Little Bronze Cuckoo look like?

The Little Bronze Cuckoo is a small bird, about 14–17 cm long and weighing 15–21 g.

The little bronze cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Chrysococcyx. It is a common brood parasite of birds from the genus Geryone. This cuckoo is found in Southeast Asia, New Guinea and some parts of Australia, where its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest. It is the world's smallest cuckoo. The pied bronze cuckoo was formerly considered to be a subspecies. Other common names for the little bronze cuckoo include the red-eyed bronze cuckoo and the malay green cuckoo. It has 11 subspecies which are generally recognized.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
14–17 cm
Weight
14.5–21 g
Wingspan
26 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

Field tips

behaviour

  • During the breeding season, males are most visible when perched upright on high, exposed branches or wires to deliver their territorial calls.

flight

  • The flight is rapid and direct, showing a subtle undulating or 'wavy' pattern as it moves between patches of cover.

plumage

  • Adult males are easily distinguished by a bright red ring around the eye, whereas females possess a much paler, greenish-grey orbital ring.
  • Look for a small but distinct white spot located immediately behind the eye, which contrasts against the metallic bronze-green of the head.

size_and_shape

  • This bird has a slender silhouette with a fine, slightly down-curved bill and a tail that appears proportionately long, creating a streamlined profile.

voice

  • Listen for a series of 3–5 high-pitched, descending whistles or a screeching trill that noticeably slides downward in pitch at the end.

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Little Bronze Cuckoo?

The Little 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

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Little Bronze Cuckoo eat?

The Little Bronze Cuckoo feeds on terrestrial invertebrates, usually foraging in pairs or alone.

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02 · Where

Where to find it

Where does the Little Bronze Cuckoo live in Australia?

The Little Bronze Cuckoo is native to Australia, recorded across 32 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingOR, AU : south-east Asia to Philippines, Lesser Sundas and north and east Australia

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Resident
  • Vagrant

7 regions recorded