The pied bronze cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found on the Tayandu Islands, the Kai Islands and the Tanimbar Islands, all of which are part of the Maluku Islands in Southeast Asia. It was formerly treated as conspecific with the little bronze cuckoo.
Region
Maluku Islands (Southeast Wallacea)
Typical Environment
Restricted to small and medium-sized islands where it occupies open woodland, edges of monsoon forest, coastal scrub, and secondary growth. It also uses gardens, coconut plantations, and mangroves where available. The species favors ecotones with scattered trees and shrub layers, which offer perches and foraging sites. It adapts well to lightly modified habitats provided there is sufficient cover and insect prey.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 600 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The pied bronze-cuckoo is a small island cuckoo that practices brood parasitism, laying its eggs in the nests of smaller passerines. It was formerly treated as conspecific with the little bronze-cuckoo but differs in bill structure and plumage details. Despite its limited range, it can be locally common in suitable habitats. Its diet includes hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with swift, direct dashes between perches
Social Behavior
Typically solitary outside of the breeding season, spending much time quietly foraging in the mid-story. As a brood parasite, the female surreptitiously lays eggs in the nests of small passerines and the chick is reared by the hosts. Breeding timing likely follows local rainy-season productivity, with discreet courtship and little overt display.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of thin, high-pitched whistles delivered at regular intervals from a concealed perch. Calls can include soft ticking notes and ascending seee-wee phrases, often repeated persistently at dawn.
Plumage
Glossy bronze-green upperparts with contrasting clean white underparts marked by dark barring on the flanks and sides. Head shows a strong pale supercilium and dark eye-stripe giving a pied, high-contrast look. Throat typically pale, with fine barring limited compared to some relatives. Tail is dark with pale tips on the outer feathers.
Diet
Feeds mainly on insects, especially caterpillars including hairy species, as well as beetles and other soft-bodied arthropods. It gleans prey from foliage and branches and will make short sallies to capture visible targets. The species occasionally consumes small spiders and larvae found on leaves and twigs. Its tolerance for hairy caterpillars gives it access to prey other birds avoid.
Preferred Environment
Forages along forest edges, in open woodland, and in scrub with scattered trees. It often works through mid-canopy foliage and along the edges of plantations and gardens. Perch-hunting from exposed twigs is common.
