Black-eared Cuckoo

1. Prominent black eye-stripe and wide white eyebrow on a grey head.

2. Buff underparts without barring, unlike other bronze-cuckoos.

3. A descending whistle call, softer and lower-pitched than similar species.

This species is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the domed nests of small passerines like Speckled Warblers in eastern Australia and Redthroats in central and western regions. The cuckoo chick hatches with black skin and instinctively ejects the host’s eggs or young from the nest. Black-eared Cuckoos migrate seasonally, breeding in southern Australia during spring and summer before moving north in winter.

Their diet consists primarily of insects such as beetles, flies, and caterpillars, including hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid.

The Black-eared Cuckoo inhabits Australia’s arid and semi-arid regions, favouring open woodlands of mulga and mallee, shrublands, and creekside vegetation. It avoids dense forests and coastal areas. Look for it perched quietly on low branches or deadwood, often sitting motionless for extended periods before dropping to the ground to hunt insects. During the breeding season, their calls are more frequent, particularly in the early morning.