Pacific long-tailed cuckoo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long-tailed cuckoo |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Urodynamis
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| Species: |
taitensis
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| Synonyms | |
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Cuculus taitensis |
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The Pacific long-tailed cuckoo (Urodynamis taitensis) is a special bird from the cuckoo family. People also call it the long-tailed koel or, in Māori, koekoeā. This bird is a migratory bird, which means it travels long distances. It spends spring and summer in New Zealand, where it lays its eggs. For winter, it flies to different Pacific islands. The Pacific long-tailed cuckoo is known for being a brood parasite. This means it lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. It then leaves the host birds to raise its chicks.
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About the Pacific Long-tailed Cuckoo
How Scientists Classify This Bird
Scientists group living things to understand how they are related. The Pacific long-tailed cuckoo, Urodynamis taitensis, is closely related to the channel-billed cuckoo. That bird lives in places like Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia. This information comes from research by Sorenson and Payne in 2005. Because of this, the Pacific long-tailed cuckoo is now in its own group, Urodynamis. It is not part of the Eudynamys group, which are the true koels.
What Does the Cuckoo Look Like?
The long-tailed cuckoo is a large bird. It is about 40 to 42 centimeters (16-17 inches) long. Its wings can spread out to about 47 to 52 centimeters (18-20 inches) wide. This bird weighs around 120 grams, which is about the same as a small apple.
It has wide, pointed wings and a very long tail. The tail is softly rounded at the end. Its beak is short and strong, with a slight hook at the tip. The top part of the cuckoo is brown with darker stripes. Its belly is white with dark streaks. Both male and female cuckoos look similar.
Adult Cuckoo Features
Adult cuckoos have dark brown on the top of their head and back of their neck. These areas have bold, light brown streaks. They have a white stripe above their eye. Below this, a dark brown stripe goes through their eye and down the sides of their neck. Their cheeks, chin, throat, and front of the neck are white. These parts have thin brown stripes and fine black streaks.
The rest of their upper body is brown. Their wings have white spots. The tip of their tail is white. The underside of their body is white with thick black-brown streaks. Their legs and feet can be gray or green.
Young Cuckoo Features
Young cuckoos look quite different from adult birds. They have spots on their body. Their underside and the sides of their head and neck are a light, yellowish-brown color.
What Does the Cuckoo Sound Like?
The long-tailed cuckoo makes a very loud and strong sound. It is a "shrill whistle." Because of this loud call, some people call it the "screamer."
Where the Pacific Long-tailed Cuckoo Lives
Global Home of the Cuckoo
The Pacific long-tailed cuckoo is found only in New Zealand. This means it is endemic to New Zealand. In New Zealand, you can find them in several places. These include Little Barrier Island, the West Coast of the South Island, and Nelson. They also live throughout the central North Island.
Where the Cuckoo Likes to Live
Long-tailed cuckoos prefer to live in forests. These forests can be on the mainland or on islands close to shore. They live from sea level up into mountainous areas. In mountains, they are often found on tree-covered ridges, not in valleys.
They usually live in thick, closed forests. These forests might have beech trees (Nothofagus), broadleaf trees, or podocarps. Sometimes, there are also shrubs. They can also be found near pine tree plantations (Pinus). Occasionally, they are seen in parks, neighborhoods, and gardens.
In New Zealand, these cuckoos mostly live in native forests. They especially like the top parts of the trees, called the canopy. They also live in pine tree farms, scrubland, farmland, and suburban gardens. When they are in the Pacific islands, they live in lowland forests, gardens, and coconut farms. These birds usually live alone.
Pacific Long-tailed Cuckoo Behavior
Migration and Life Cycle
The long-tailed cuckoo only breeds in New Zealand. They stay there during the warmer months. This is usually from early October until February or March. Sometimes they stay until April or even later.
Their journey from New Zealand to the Pacific islands is very long. It can be about 2,500 to 3,500 kilometers (1,550-2,175 miles) one way. So, they travel over 6,000 kilometers (3,700 miles) in total! For winter, they fly to islands all across the southern Pacific Ocean.
They are found all year on the Kermadec Islands, Norfolk Island, and Lord Howe Island. These are subtropical islands located between New Zealand and the tropical Pacific Islands. Their winter home is incredibly wide. It stretches almost 11,000 kilometers (6,800 miles). This is from Palau in the west to Pitcairn Island in the east. In most of their winter homes, local people call them kārewarewa. In spring, these birds' migration paths might have helped the Polynesian ancestors of Māori find New Zealand.
Mating Habits
Long-tailed cuckoos often have many partners during their lives. They mate and separate easily. Male cuckoos try to attract females by spreading and fluttering their wings while calling out.
Male cuckoos have a high-pitched sound. They are very protective of their territory. You will hear them calling to let other birds know it is their space. They also call to find a mate. Female cuckoos also have strong calls. Their behavior is aggressive when they are mating. Males often show off their wings or their flying skills when they are looking for a mate.
Clever Parents: Brood Parasitism
Cuckoos do not build their own nests. They also do not raise their own young. The Pacific long-tailed cuckoo is a brood parasite. This means it lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species.
They mostly lay their eggs in the nests of Mohoua species. These include whiteheads (M. albicilla) in the North Island. In the South Island, they use nests of yellowheads (M. ochrocephala) and brown creepers (M. novaeseelandiae). They also lay eggs in the nests of robins (Petroica australis longpipes) and tomtits (Petroica macrocephala toitoi).
The cuckoo eggs hatch before the host bird's eggs. The young cuckoo chicks then push the host's eggs out of the nest. Young long-tailed cuckoo chicks can even copy the calls of the host's chicks. This helps them get more food from their adopted parents.
What the Pacific Long-tailed Cuckoo Eats
Cuckoo Diet
Long-tailed cuckoos mostly eat insects. But they also eat other things. They eat bird eggs and baby birds. They can even eat adult birds as big as sparrows, New Zealand bellbirds, and thrushes. Lizards are also on their menu. Sometimes, they eat fruit and seeds.
When they are young, their host parents feed them insects.
How the Cuckoo Finds Food
Long-tailed cuckoos almost never look for food on the ground. Instead, they search for food at the top of trees or in shrubs. They mainly look for food at night.
Who Hunts the Pacific Long-tailed Cuckoo?
The long-tailed cuckoo is a species that is at risk in New Zealand. They are not very common. Their predators include cats, crows, and birds of prey like hawks.
Other Interesting Facts
Many people believe that when a long-tailed cuckoo appears, it is time to plant sweet potatoes, also known as kumara. And when the cuckoo leaves, it is time to harvest them.
See also
In Spanish: Koel colilargo para niños
