The Sulawesi brush cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found on Sulawesi and some surrounding islands: Banggai Islands, Sula Islands, Butung Island and the Tukangbesi Islands. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montane forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.
Region
Wallacea (Sulawesi and surrounding islands)
Typical Environment
Occurs on Sulawesi and adjacent island groups including the Banggai, Sula, Buton, and Tukangbesi (Wakatobi) Islands. It inhabits tropical moist lowland and hill forests, extending into lower montane forest. The species often uses forest edges, riverine strips, and regenerating secondary growth. It may also enter wooded plantations and scrub near forest where cover remains. Its secretive habits keep it within mid-story to canopy layers.
Altitude Range
0–1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This brood-parasitic cuckoo lays its eggs in the nests of smaller forest birds, leaving the hosts to raise its young. It keeps to dense foliage and is more often heard than seen, giving a clear, repetitive whistle. Though tolerant of secondary growth, it declines where extensive lowland forest is cleared.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides between perches
Social Behavior
Typically encountered alone or in loosely spaced pairs within territories. As a brood parasite, the female deposits eggs in the nests of small passerines; host parents incubate and rear the chick. Nests are not built by the species itself, and courtship is discreet within dense foliage.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, whistled, repetitive series of notes, often rising or falling slightly in pitch. Song carries well at dawn and dusk and is a primary cue for detection in dense forest.
Plumage
Upperparts dusky olive-brown to grey-brown with a slightly darker cap; underparts show warm rufous on the throat and breast, grading to paler belly with faint barring toward the flanks and undertail. Feathers are sleek and close-fitting, giving a smooth, tidy appearance.
Diet
Feeds chiefly on insects, especially caterpillars (including hairy species), beetles, mantids, and orthopterans. It gleans prey from foliage and branches and will sally to snatch flying insects. Occasional small spiders and other arthropods are also taken. Prey is often beaten against a perch before swallowing.
Preferred Environment
Forages within the mid-storey to subcanopy of primary and secondary forests. Frequently uses forest edges, riparian corridors, and overgrown clearings where insect activity is high. It may visit wooded gardens and agroforests adjacent to intact forest.
