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13

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo

(Chalcites [Chrysococcyx] lucidus)
Alternate name(s): "Golden Bronze-Cuckoo", "Greenback", "Broad-billed Bronze-Cuckoo"
Aboriginal name(s): "djorit*" (WA)

Size: 16-18 cm
Weight: 17-35 g

Similar
species

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

Physical description

Click here for a physical description

Taxonomy, classification

See Shining Bronze-Cuckoo at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species

Click here for information on habitat and range

Sightings

Click here for sighting information

Photos

Race "plagosus"

This race is also called the "Golden Bronze-Cuckoo".

ADULT

MALE

Frontal view of a male(?) Shining Bronze-Cuckoo foraging on the ground (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]

Near-lateral view of a male(?) Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a male(?) Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Near Ensay, East Gippsland, VIC, October 2014]

Lateral/ventral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey, a leaf-eating insect; note the grey cap indicative of a male
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, May 2013]

Lateral view of a male Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of C. Charles)
[Near Coolum, QLD, January 2013]

Lateral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its wings spread (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay South, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2014]

Near-dorsal view of a male Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of A. Campbell)
[Mount McEuen, QLD, November 2016]

Near-dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo; note the leaf damage in the lower left (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, May 2013]

FEMALE

Frontal view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo - note how the bronze gloss of the cap extends onto the mantle
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-frontal view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, September 2018]

Near-frontal view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-lateral view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo; the bronze cap and golden neck are indicative of a female
(photo courtesy of E. Scott)
[Roseberry Creek Valley, near Toonumbar NP, northern NSW, August 2017]

Lateral view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Dorsal view of a female Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Sex unknown

Frontal/ventral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Alpine NP, VIC, October 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Alpine NP, VIC, October 2018]

Lateral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Alpine NP, VIC, October 2018]

Near-dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Careniup, Perth, WA, July 2015]

Dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Alpine NP, VIC, October 2018]

Dorsal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gold Scrub Lane, Samsonvale, QLD, May 2020]

Although unfortunately a "classical bum shot" of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo, the full-resolution version of this photo shows interesting details of the colour pattern of the bars on the underparts (photo courtesy of J. Greaves)
[Lake Careniup, Perth, WA, July 2015]

IMMATURE/JUVENILE

Frontal view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo; note the absence of frontal barring (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Kingaroy, QLD, November 2013]

Near-frontal view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, January 2012]

Near-lateral view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, Doctors Flat Road, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2019]

Lateral view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, Doctors Flat Road, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2019]

Lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

The same juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo as shown above (photo courtesy of R. Druce)

Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of R. Plumtree)
[Ensay, Doctors Flat Road, East Gippsland, VIC, December 2019]

Dorsal view of a juvenile Shining Bronze-Cuckoo (photo courtesy of M. Mearns)
[Kingaroy, QLD, November 2013]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: ? Mobility: Migratory Elementary unit: Solitary

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo using its tail as a prop while foraging for prey in the bark of a tree, giving a clear view of the markings on the tail feathers (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, September 2018]

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo giving a clear view of its upperwing pattern (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, September 2018]

Shining Bronze-Cuckoo in a stretched posture, giving it a very slim appearance (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, September 2018]

Food, Diet

Like other small cuckoos, Shining Bronze-Cuckoos are insectivores.

Frontal view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey, a hairy caterpillar (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Cairns, QLD, July 2018]

Near-lateral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead Reserve, Anstead, QLD, March 2019]

Lateral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey, a hairy caterpillar (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, September 2018]

Lateral/ventral view of a Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey, a leaf-eating insect; it was seen in the same tree for 3 days, together with a Fan-tailed Cuckoo (photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, May 2013]

Same day of the year, one year on; same tree; same kind of grub - same bird? Shining Bronze-Cuckoo with its prey
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[St. Albans, NSW, May 2014]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

shbcuck_20210820.m4a plagosus
(NW NSW)
Territorial calls male? © MD
shbcuck_20170607.m4a plagosus
(SE QLD)
Stand-off between 2 males? © MD

More Shining Bronze-Cuckoo sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

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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