Little Bronze Cuckoo

Little Bronze Cuckoo

Scientific Name: Chalcites minutillus

Malay Name: Sewah-Daun Biasa

Chinese Name: 棕胸金鹃

Range: Found from Southeast Asia to Australia

Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: peninsularis, albifrons, aheneus, jungei, rufomerus, salvadorii, misoriensis, poecilurus, minutillus, russatus, barnardi.

Local Subspecies: peninsularis

Size: 16 cm

Identification: Male has black bill, pale fore-head, dark bars across whitish underparts, bronzy-green mantle and distinctive red eyering. Female resemble male but has duller mantle and eyering. Juvenile resembles female but has browner upperparts and faint or no bars on flanks.

Similar looking species: Asian Emerald Cuckoo, Violet Cuckoo, Horsfield's Bronze Cuckoo

Habitat: Secondary growth, coastal scrub, mangroves, gardens and parks.

Behaviour/Ecology: Laid single egg in the nest of Golden-bellied Gerygone.

Local Status: Common resident

Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2020)

Location: Japanese/Chinese Gardens, Lorong Halus, Pasir Ris Park, Tampines Eco Green, Jurong Eco Garden, Satay by the Bay, Tuas, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Kranji Marsh.

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References:

BirdLife International. (2020). Chalcites minutillus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T61433519A181643543.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023

Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.

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