Pacific long-tailed cuckoo

This article is about New Zealand species. For the African long-tailed cuckoos, see Cercococcyx.

Long-tailed cuckoo
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Cuculiformes
Family:	Cuculidae
Genus:	Urodynamis
Species:	U. taitensis
Binomial name
Urodynamis taitensis (Sparrman, 1787)
Synonyms
Eudynamys taitensis

The Pacific long-tailed cuckoo (Urodynamis taitensis), also known as the long-tailed cuckoo, long-tailed koel, or the koekoeā in Māori, is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. The species breeds in New Zealand, and migrates to the islands of the south-western Pacific in the winter.

The long-tailed cuckoo is a brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of yellowheads, whiteheads and brown creepers. The eggs hatch before those of the host and the young chicks eject the eggs of the host. Long-tailed cuckoo chicks are able to mimic the calls of their host's chicks.

References

• Davies, N (2000) Cuckoos, Cowbirds and Other Cheats T & A D Poyser, London, ISBN 0-85661-135-2