6 Dec 2019

Critter of the Week: Shining cuckoo

From Afternoons, 3:30 pm on 6 December 2019

Shining cuckoo: Suggested by fan Barbara Zerzouri as they're all around Wellington at the moment and there's a great waiata by Maori composer Hirini Melbourne about the bird.

The shining cuckoo is a 'brood parasite' - it puts its eggs in the grey warbler's nest and gets them to bring up their children. When it hatches in the warbler's nest, the chick pushes the warbler eggs/chicks out because nature.

Shining Cuckoo

Shining Cuckoo Photo: Left: Shining Cuckoo resting by McBeth K CC BY-SA; Right: Shining Cuckoo by Aviceda CC BY-SA

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