Little Bronze-Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx minutillus)

A distant record shot of a female or immature. Males are similar but have a prominent red eyering. Geographic variation and taxonomy are complex confounded by erroneous island attributions to some of the types and questionable chain of custody of some type specimens. I believe our bird is best assigned to the nominate race which was formerly restricted to northern Australia but is now recognized as widespread in the Moluccas and Lesser Sundas. It remains unclear if they are permanent on these islands or migrants from Australia. Other races attributed in the literature to Ambon or nearby Seram either do not actually occur on those islands or do not resemble this bird. An obligate brood parasite specializing on Gerygones of which only Rufous-sided Gerygone is found on Ambon. Sometimes placed in the genus "Chalcites."