The white-crowned cuckoo or white-crowned koel is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It was formerly placed in the genus Cacomantis but is now the only species placed in the genus Caliechthrus. It is found in New Guinea and neighbouring Salawati Island.
Region
New Guinea
Typical Environment
Occurs throughout lowland and hill forests of New Guinea and on nearby Salawati Island. It favors primary and well-developed secondary rainforest, forest edges, and riverine corridors. Most activity is in the mid- to upper canopy where it moves quietly through foliage. It will also use disturbed forest and tall second growth provided there is dense cover.
Altitude Range
0–1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Also known as the white-crowned koel, this cuckoo is endemic to New Guinea and nearby Salawati Island. Like many cuckoos, it is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of other birds. It inhabits dense rainforest canopies and is more often heard than seen, giving clear, carrying whistles. Taxonomically it has been shifted between Cacomantis and the monotypic genus Caliechthrus.
Temperament
shy and elusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches; strong, direct flights through canopy
Social Behavior
Largely solitary, spending much time quietly foraging in the canopy. It is a brood parasite, depositing eggs in the nests of smaller passerines and leaving parental care to the hosts. Breeding behavior is secretive, with vocal advertising more conspicuous than visual displays.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives clear, ringing whistles and short, repeated phrases that carry through dense forest. Phrases can descend slightly in pitch and are often delivered from concealed perches high in the canopy.
Plumage
Contrasting white crown and nape with otherwise dark, slate-gray to blackish plumage and a long, graduated tail with pale tips. Underparts are grayish with subtle shading; upperparts can show a faint glossy sheen. The face is darker, giving a masked appearance, and the tail may show fine, pale barring toward the tips.
Diet
Primarily eats insects such as caterpillars, beetles, and orthopterans, gleaned from foliage and branches. It may take spiders and other arthropods and occasionally small fruits. Foraging involves deliberate movement with occasional short sallies to snatch prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds mainly in the mid- to upper canopy of mature rainforest and tall secondary growth. Also forages along forest edges and near streams where insect activity is high.
