Alternative names: Reddish-throated Bronze Cuckoo; Mountain Bronze Cuckoo
- Chrysococcyx ruficollis
Chalcites ruficollis
Identification
16cm.
- Copper green upperparts with bronze or purple iridescence
- Rufous forehead, face, throat and upper breast
- White barred bronze green rest of underparts
- Black bill
- Olive-grey to dark olive-green feet
Females similar, lacking iridescence on upperparts.
Juveniles green above, grey-white below.
Similar species
The female may be confused with White-eared Bronze Cuckoo, which has rufous restricted to the forehead.
Distribution
Endemic to New Guinea, found in the central mountain ranges, Vogelkop mountains and Wandammen mountains. Recently discovered in Foja Mountains.
Apparently rare to uncommon in its small range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
It's sometimes placed in the genus Chalcites.
Habitat
Humid moist montanes and highlands. Found in primary and secondary forest and in subalpine thickets.
Occurs mainly at 1600 to 2600m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects, mainly on caterpillars.
Joins mixed-species flocks while foraging. Sits motionless, staring and peering for prey, then moves and seizes the insects.
Breeding
No information available. Probably a brood parasitic.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2022. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2022. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Rufous-throated Bronze Cuckoo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 7 June 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Rufous-throated_Bronze_Cuckoo
External Links
GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1
