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  1. Species
  2. ›
  3. Cuculidae
  4. ›
  5. Cacomantis
  6. ›
  7. Sahul Brush Cuckoo
Sahul Brush Cuckoo
Photo · (c) Ged Tranter, some rights reserved (CC BY)

BirdUp · Species

Sahul Brush Cuckoo

Cacomantis variolosus(Vigors & Horsfield, 1827)

Updated 11 June 2026

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

At a glance

The Sahul Brush Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird, about 20–23 cm long, listed as Least Concern and native to Australia. It can be seen year-round.

Size
20–23 cm
Conservation status
Least Concern
Origin
Native
Best seen
Year-round
Commonness
Very common
  • Identification
  • Where
  • When
  • Voice
  • Behaviour
  • Gallery

01 · Identification

How to tell it apart

What does a Sahul Brush Cuckoo look like?

The Sahul Brush Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird, about 20–23 cm long and weighing 22–49 g.

The Sahul brush cuckoo, formerly known as the brush cuckoo, is a member of the cuckoo family. It is native to Malesia, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and northern and eastern Australia. It is a grey-brown bird with a buff breast. Its call is a familiar sound of the Australian and Indonesian bush.

Description · wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0

Field specs

Length
20–23 cm
Weight
21.8–49 g
Wingspan
32 cm

Measurements · avonet · CC BY 4.0

03 · When

When to look

When can you see a Sahul Brush Cuckoo?

The Sahul Brush 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 · Cooper Rd, Wamboin, NSW, AU

Call

John Cull · The Basin VIC 3154, Australia

Call

Thomas Mesaglio · Googik Heritage walking track, Lake Innes Nature Reserve, Port Macquarie, New South Wales

Call

Martin Rady · Wakerley QLD 4154, Australia

05 · Behaviour

Habits and haunts

What does a Sahul Brush Cuckoo eat?

The Sahul Brush 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 Sahul Brush Cuckoo live in Australia?

The Sahul Brush Cuckoo is native to Australia, recorded across 52 of Australia’s bioregions.

BreedingEast Wallacea, New Guinea region, north and east Australia, Bismarck Arch. and Solomon Is.

Non-breedingNew Guinea, Wallacea, Bismarck Archipelago

Distribution from BirdUp Australia community data

Legend

  • Breeding
  • Resident
  • Passage

8 regions recorded