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