Oriental Cuckoo
Cuculus optatus
Freshwater Lake, Centenary Lakes, Cairns North, FN Qld IMG_3214 20191219 - young male: still has some white fringingto upperpart feathers.
Notes: Resembles
Pallid Cuckoo but underparts heavily barred & bright yellow
iris, eye-ring & feet. Male: grey head, neck, upperparts. Female:
grey morph
similar, but foreneck rufous tinge; rufous morph upperparts,
head, tail barred
rufous & black. Summer visitor from North Asia.
Arboreal. Partial to caterpillars.
Range from Atlas of Living Australia©(edited)
Freshwater Lake, Centenary Lakes, Cairns North, FN Qld IMG_3307 20191219 - male
Saltwater Creek, Cairns North, FN Qld IMG_9070 20230405 - male
Freshwater Lake, Centenary Lakes, Cairns North, FN Qld IMG_3864 20191222 - young female grey morph. still has somewhite fringing to upperpart feathers.
Springvale Road, Wondecla, FN Qld IMG_5719 20210313 - male
Springvale Road, Wondecla, FN Qld IMG_5725 20210313 - male
Daintree property, FN Qld IMG_7290 20191123 - female rufous morph
Daintree property, FN Qld IMG_7304 20191123 - juvenile grey morph: white fringing to upperpart feathers.
location MVI_6666 20180909