Cacomantis variolosus
The Sahul Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus) is a small to medium-sized Old World cuckoo, typically measuring 18-24 cm in length with a slender, somewhat upright posture. Adults are generally dull grey-brown to olive-brown on their upperparts, contrasting with paler, sometimes rufous-washed underparts and subtle barring on the flanks. Key field marks include a relatively slender bill, a dark eye, and an often indistinct pale eye-ring, complemented by a moderately long tail that may show fai...
Primarily found in a diverse range of forest and woodland habitats, including rainforest edges, eucalypt woodlands, mangroves, and dense scrub. It occupies elevations from sea level up to approximately 1,800 meters in hilly and montane regions.
Its diet consists almost entirely of insects, with a particular preference for hairy caterpillars often avoided by other birds, as well as various other arthropods. It primarily forages by gleaning prey directly from leaves and branches.
The Sahul Brush Cuckoo is a largely diurnal species, often detected by its distinctive calls rather than by sight, as it tends to be secretive within the mid-canopy. It forages by actively gleaning insects, particularly caterpillars, and other arthropods from foliage and branches, occasionally un...
The Sahul Brush Cuckoo boasts an extensive distribution across the Australasian and Indo-Malayan regions. Its breeding range encompasses northern and eastern Australia, New Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago, and the Solomon Islands, extending westward into parts of Indonesia (including the Lesser ...
Least Concern
- The Sahul Brush Cuckoo is an obligate brood parasite, meaning it never builds its own nest or provides any parental care for its young. Its eggs are laid in the nests of other species. - Females specialize in laying their eggs in the nests of small passerines, including fantails, whistlers, mon...