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Little Bronze-Cuckoo (Chalcites [Chrysococcyx] minutillus) Alternate name(s): "Rufous-breasted Bronze-Cuckoo"; race russatus: "Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo" Size: 14-17 cm; wing span: 25-27 cm Body mass: 14.5-17 g Wing loading [g/cm2]: 0.14-0.19

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Little Bronze-Cuckoos are the smallest cuckoos in Australia. Their front, from the bill and eyes downwards to the vent and undertail coverts, is barred entirely white and brownish-green. They have a small brownish-green eye stripe. Male Little Bronze-Cuckoos have red eye-rings, while those of females are grey. The back of both sexes, from the crown all the way down to the uppertail, is metallic brownish-green. The undertail is barred white-and brown on the outside, with some russet feathers in the centre. The irises are dark, the bill is black and the legs and feet are grey. Juvenile Little Bronze-Cuckoos resemble females, but have duller colours and no frontal barring yet. Twitcher's tip Little Bronze-Cuckoos are distinguished from Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoos and Shining Bronze-Cuckoos by the males' prominent red eye-rings and the russet inner undertail feathers. Male Gould's Bronze-Cuckoos have a russet-brown back, whereas the back of other races of Little Bronze-Cuckoo males is dark-green.

Taxonomy, classification See Little Bronze-Cuckoo at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Little Bronze-Cuckoo is available HERE . The range of the Little Bronze-Cuckoo extends from South-east Asia (southern Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines), via eastern Indonesia, Timor Leste and New Guinea, to Australia. Little Bronze-Cuckoos migrate to Australia from the North, populating primarily two areas of the continent: Nominate race "minutillus" populates the Kimberley in WA and north-western corner of the NT (e.g. Litchfield NP) and the coastal fringe of the Top End of the NT on the West side. Race "barnardi" is found along the South QLD coast and NSW far-North coast. In between these two areas Little Bronze-Cuckoos are only observed occasionally. The transition between the two races occurs somewhere near the longitude of Mt. Isa, QLD. Race "russatus" ("Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo") populates a wide (near-)coastal fringe along the North-East coast of QLD, down to about the tropic of Capricorn. Little Bronze-Cuckoos can usually be found in dense woodland, forests and mangroves. Like other small cuckoos they are very inconspicuous when hidden in the foliage of trees.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "minutillus" B. Hensen spotted Little Bronze-Cuckoos, nominate race "minutillus", at Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, in July 2012 and again in July 2013. We first found Little Bronze-Cuckoos, race "minutillus", at Fogg Dam NR, NT, in August 2014. P. Brown reports spotting a Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "minutillus", semi-regularly at various locations in the Top End of the NT. C. Pears found a Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "minutillus", at the Broome Bird Observatory, Broome, WA, in June 2025. Race "barnardi" A Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "barnardi", was first spotted by us in the wetlands of Capricorn Resort, Yeppoon, in July 2009. Special access to the wetlands kindly granted by the owners of Capricorn Resort is most gratefully acknowledged. Race "russatus" ("Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo") B. Hensen reports seeing a Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus" ("Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo"), in Cairns, QLD, in June 2013. M. Eaton found a Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus" ("Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo"), on the Daintree River, QLD, in July 2018. R. Russell reports spotting a Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus", at Mount Molloy, QLD, in July 2007. J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours reports finding a Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus", along the Daintree River, QLD, in November 2019, and on the Townsville Common, QLD, in July 2020. Another was found at Yungaburra, QLD, in April 2022.

Photos

Race "minutillus"

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Note the male's red eye-ring, compared to the female's grey one.

MALE

Frontal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo; note the red eye-ring (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[McMinns Lagoon, near Darwin, NT, September 2018]

Near-lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo with its tail fanned
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, August 2014]

Lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, June 2018]

Partly obscured near-dorsal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, August 2014]

Dorsal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo, with its head turned, thereby showing clearly the characteristic red eye-ring
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Bird Billabong, Adelaide River, Mary River NP, Top End, NT, November 2019]

Close-up ventral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[McMinns Lagoon, near Darwin, NT, September 2018]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo; note the grey eye-ring
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, August 2014]

Frontal view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Near-frontal view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Near-frontal view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo; this bird was observed adopting a cryptic stance for an extended period of time (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Near-lateral view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Coconut Grove, Darwin, NT, August 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

Lateral view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Casuarina Coastal Reserve, Darwin, NT, July 2012]

Lateral view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo
[Fogg Dam CR, NT, August 2014]

Race "barnardi"

ADULT

MALE

Partly obscured near-dorsal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo; note the characteristic eye-ring
[Wetlands of Capricorn Resort, Yeppoon, QLD, July 2009; see credits page for details]

Race "russatus"

This race is also called "Gould's Bronze-Cuckoo".

ADULT

PAIR

Many bird species exhibit sexual dimorphism, i.e., male and female have differing appearances which can be quite subtle.
Note the male's red eye-ring, compared to the female's grey one.

MALE

Frontal/ventral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus"; note the red eye-rings and the russet breast
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, November 2019]

Near-frontal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo looking towards the observer (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Daintree River, QLD, July 2018]

Near-frontal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Townsville Common, QLD, July 2020]

Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, November 2019]

Near-lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo looking backwards (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Townsville Common, QLD, July 2020]

Close-up lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo looking at the observer
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Yungaburra, QLD, April 2022]

Close-up lateral portrait of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo; note the rufous fringes to the flight feathers that are characteristic for this race (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, July 2007]

Close-up lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Yungaburra, QLD, April 2022]

Dorsal view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus" (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Daintree River, QLD, July 2018]

FEMALE

Lateral view of a female Little Bronze-Cuckoo, race "russatus" (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Cairns, QLD, June 2013]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Migratory

Elementary unit: Solitary

Like basically all cuckoos, Little Bronze-Cuckoos host on somewhat smaller birds. Amongst others, Little Bronze-Cuckoos host on Green-backed Gerygones.

Frontal/ventral view of a dependent juvenile Little Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[East Point Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2021]

Lateral/ventral view of a dependent juvenile Little Bronze-Cuckoo with one of its hosts/"parents", a Green-backed Gerygone (photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[East Point Reserve, Darwin, NT, June 2021]

Food, Diet

Like most other small cuckoos, Little Bronze-Cuckoos are insect hunters. They take their prey from foliage and from the ground.

Near-lateral view of a male Little Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey a small caterpillar (photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Daintree River, QLD, November 2019]

Female Little Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey, a caterpillar that it has just beaten to a pulp
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Rapid Creek, Darwin, NT, August 2019]

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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