Overview
The Oriental cuckoo or Horsfield's cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) is a bird belonging to the genus Cuculus in the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It was formerly classified as a subspecies of the Himalayan cuckoo (C. saturatus), with the name 'Oriental cuckoo' used for the combined species. Differences in voice and size suggest that it should be treated as a separate species. The binomial name Cuculus horsfieldi has often been used instead of Cuculus optatus, but is now usually considered to be a junior synonym.
Summary from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Range and habitat
Breeds western Russia and Kazakhstan through northeastern Russia to Japan; winters southeastern Asia, Indonesian Archipelago, and Philippines to northern and eastern Australia (Kimberley region of Western Australia to southern New South Wales), New Guinea and satellite islands, Bismarck Archipelago, and Solomon Islands.
Range description: AviList Global Avian Checklist.
Sources and further reading
- Wikipedia: Oriental cuckoo
- eBird: sightings, maps and photos
- xeno-canto: sound recordings
- Birds of the World: full species account (subscription)
- BirdLife DataZone: status and threats
- IUCN Red List (threat status)
- AviList global checklist (taxonomy)
Last updated September 29, 2026.
