Long-tailed Koel Urodynamis taitensis Scientific name definitions

Breeds in New Zealand, and on Great Barrier I, Little Barrier I, Kapiti I and Stewart I. Migrates to Oceania, occurring from Palau, Carolines and Marshalls SE through Fiji, Tonga and Samoa to Cook, Society, Austral, Marquesas and Pitcairn Is; also Bismarck Archipelago, Solomons, Vanuatu, Norfolk I, Lord Howe I and elsewhere in SW Pacific.

Long-distance migrant, moving seasonally from New Zealand to Melanesia, Micronesia and (mainly) Polynesia, where remains May–Sept; resident on Raoul (Kermadecs). Adults arrive in breeding area in Oct and depart in Jan or Feb. Migrates at night, giving loud calls in flight. Immatures remain in their tropical non-breeding areas, and do not return to New Zealand to breed until their 2nd year. A recent analysis based mainly on museum specimens suggests that at least part of the population follows an anti-clockwise loop-migration, aided by prevailing winds, first flying NE from new Zealand in autumn, then moving W through the tropics, and finally returning S and SE to New Zealand in spring. It also shows that virtually all individuals in New Zealand during Oct–Dec are adults, while immature birds are almost entirely absent there until Jan–May; in the northward post-breeding migration, adults move first and immatures show a lag of up to 3 months in their departure timing (2 Gill, B.J. and Hauber, M.E. (2012). Piecing together the epic transoceanic migration of the Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis): an analysis of museum and sighting records. Emu. 112: 326–332. Close ).

Whistled “ouit-ouit”, also a magpie-like chatter and loud shrieks; sometimes several males call in an apparent social group or lek.