Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo

Overview

The Cacomantis castaneiventris is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Adults possess a dark slaty grey-blue head, back and wings, with a deep rufous breast and underparts.
• The tail is barred black and white, contrasting with the barred mid brown and white tail of immatures.
• Measuring 22–25 centimetres in length, adults are slightly smaller than the similar Sahul brush cuckoo and fan-tailed cuckoo but feature much darker underparts.
• Both adults and immatures display a distinct yellow orbital eye ring.

Habitat

This species inhabits subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. Its range extends across Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

Did you know?

Three subspecies are currently recognised, with C. c. castaneiventris found specifically in the Aru Islands of Indonesia and the Cape York Peninsula in Australia.