Little bronze cuckoo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Little bronze cuckoo |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Chrysococcyx
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| Species: |
minutillus
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The little bronze cuckoo (scientific name: Chrysococcyx minutillus) is a super small bird from the cuckoo family. It's actually the smallest cuckoo in the world! This tiny bird weighs about 17 grams (that's like three nickels!) and is only about 15 centimeters long (about the length of a pen). You can find these cool birds in places like Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and parts of northern and eastern Australia. They love living in warm, wet lowland forests.
About the Little Bronze Cuckoo
The Little Bronze Cuckoo is easy to spot with its shiny bronze-green feathers on its back. Its belly is white and has cool dark stripes. If you look closely, you'll see a special white spot right behind its eye! This bird has a slim body and a long tail. These features help it fly quickly and easily through thick bushes and trees.
Where They Live
Little Bronze Cuckoos prefer open woodlands and the edges of forests. They also like areas with lots of dense plants and bushes. These birds are known to travel between different places during the year. They move from their breeding grounds to other areas when the seasons change or when they need to find more food.
Different Types of Little Bronze Cuckoos
Scientists have found that there are several different types of Little Bronze Cuckoos. These types are called subspecies. They are all very similar but might have small differences depending on where they live. The International Ornithologists' Union recognizes many of these subspecies.
Some of these subspecies are found in different parts of Asia and Australia:
- One type lives in southern Thailand and the Malay Peninsula.
- Others are found on islands like Sumatra, Java, and Borneo.
- You can also find different kinds in Sulawesi, Flores, and the Lesser Sunda Islands.
- Some types live on islands near New Guinea, like Biak and the Kai Islands.
- In Australia, different subspecies live along the coast of New Guinea and in northern and eastern Queensland.
Two of these subspecies, rufomerus (also called the green-cheeked bronze cuckoo) and crassirostris (the pied bronze cuckoo), are sometimes thought of as separate species entirely. Another one, russatus (Gould's bronze cuckoo), was also once considered a separate species.
