Photo: Aviceda / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cuckoos & Turacos

Oriental Cuckoo

Cuculus optatus

Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Europe & Northern Asia.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 17 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of Japan Birds of New Zealand Birds of the Philippines Birds of Thailand Birds of the United States Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland

By family

Cuckoos of Australia Cuckoos of Indonesia Cuckoos of the Philippines Cuckoos of Thailand Cuckoos of New South Wales Cuckoos of Northern Territory Cuckoos of Queensland

See what's near you right now

The Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Europe & Northern Asia. Adults weigh 87 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 Cuculus
Species optatus

Where it lives

Western Russia and Kazakhstan through northeastern Russia to Japan

Europe & Northern Asia

Quick facts

Weight: 87 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Cuculidae
Order: Cuculiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

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

Behaviour

A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Oriental Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Europe & Northern Asia. Its distribution covers PAL w Russia and Kazakhstan through ne Russia to Japan.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 87 g, with a wing length of about 18.3 cm and a tail of around 14.6 cm.

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

Songs & calls

Oriental Cuckoo — Song

Recorded by Manuel Oudard Licence: CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Oriental Cuckoo?

The Oriental Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 87 g.

Where does the Oriental Cuckoo live?

The Oriental Cuckoo is found across Europe & Northern Asia with a range covering PAL w Russia and Kazakhstan through ne Russia to Japan, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.

What family does the Oriental Cuckoo belong to?

The Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.

What does the Oriental Cuckoo eat?

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

Does the Oriental Cuckoo migrate?

The Oriental Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Oriental 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.

What sound does the Oriental Cuckoo make?

1 real field recording of the Oriental Cuckoo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.