Photo: JJ Harrison (https://www.jjharrison.com.au/) / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cuckoos & Turacos

Black-eared Cuckoo

Chalcites osculans

Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 13 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Australian Capital Territory Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of South Australia Birds of Victoria Birds of Western Australia

By family

Cuckoos of Australia Cuckoos of New South Wales Cuckoos of Northern Territory Cuckoos of Queensland Cuckoos of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 30.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
Genus Chalcites
Species osculans

Where it lives

Australia (except Tasmania)

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 30.9 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Cuculidae
Order: Cuculiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Black-eared Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Black-eared Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Australia (except Tasmania).

It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 30.9 g, with a wing length of about 11.5 cm and a tail of around 8.6 cm.

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

Its mapped global range covers an estimated 7 million km².

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Black-eared Cuckoo?

The Black-eared Cuckoo is a small bird that weighs around 30.9 g.

Where does the Black-eared Cuckoo live?

The Black-eared Cuckoo is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Australia (except Tasmania), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Black-eared Cuckoo belong to?

The Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.

What does the Black-eared Cuckoo eat?

The Black-eared Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Black-eared Cuckoo migrate?

The Black-eared Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Black-eared Cuckoo endangered?

The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.

How large is the Black-eared Cuckoo's range?

The Black-eared Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 7 million km².