Macropygia phasianella
The Brown Cuckoo-Dove (*Macropygia phasianella*) is a strikingly slender and long-tailed pigeon species endemic to eastern and northern Australia, known for its distinctive rufous-brown plumage. Measuring between 38-46 cm (15-18 in) in length and weighing 120-200 g (4.2-7 oz), it boasts a notably elongated, graduated tail, often longer than its body, which is a primary field mark for identification. Its overall coloration is a warm reddish-brown, with males often displaying a subtle iridescen...
Found primarily in subtropical and tropical rainforests, wet sclerophyll forests, and dense riparian vegetation, typically at low to mid-elevations.
Strictly frugivorous, their diet consists almost entirely of seeds and a wide variety of fruits from native trees and shrubs, which they typically pluck directly from branches.
Brown Cuckoo-Doves are diurnal birds, active during daylight hours, and typically roost in dense foliage within the forest canopy at night. They are predominantly arboreal, skillfully navigating branches to forage, though they may occasionally descend to the ground for fallen fruits. While not ov...
The Brown Cuckoo-Dove is widely distributed across eastern and northern Australia, from Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, extending south through coastal and Great Dividing Range regions of New South Wales, and into eastern Victoria. Disjunct populations also occur in the northernmost parts of t...
Least Concern
- Its common name 'cuckoo-dove' refers to its unusually long, graduated tail, which gives it a somewhat cuckoo-like appearance in flight. - Despite its relatively slender build, the Brown Cuckoo-Dove is capable of swallowing surprisingly large fruits whole. - These doves play a vital ecological r...