Bird Album
Long-tailed Koel
Urodynamis taitensis (Sparrman, 1787)
117 gWeight
The long-tailed koel (Urodynamis taitensis), also known as the long-tailed cuckoo, Pacific long-tailed cuckoo, sparrow hawk, home owl, screecher, screamer or koekoeā in Māori, is a species of the Cuculidae bird family (the cuckoos).
Busiest months: November–December · Most records: New Zealand, French Polynesia, Cook Islands
Where and when it's recorded
Long-tailed Koel has been recorded at 53 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 12 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Kapiti Island LodgeNew Zealand80 records
- TetiaroaFrench Polynesia73 records
- Fiordland NP – Lake Gunn Nature WalkNew Zealand32 records
More places
- Stewart Island – Oban & Halfmoon BayNew Zealand26 records
- Norfolk Island – Phillip IslandNorfolk Island18 records
- Rarotonga – Takitumu Conservation AreaCook Islands17 records
- Rakiura NP – Ulva IslandNew Zealand17 records
- Fiordland NP – Mirror LakesNew Zealand11 records
- Fiordland NP – Milford SoundNew Zealand10 records
- Tiritiri MatangiNew Zealand9 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The long-tailed koel (Urodynamis taitensis), also known as the long-tailed cuckoo, Pacific long-tailed cuckoo, sparrow hawk, home owl, screecher, screamer or koekoeā in Māori, is a species of the Cuculidae bird family (the cuckoos). It is the only species placed in the genus Urodynamis. It is a migratory bird that spends spring and summer in New Zealand, its only breeding place, and spends winter in the Pacific islands.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Long-tailed Koel?
The Long-tailed Koel weighs around 117 g.
Where does the Long-tailed Koel live?
Its breeding range: Australasia: North, South and Stewart islands and satellites (New Zealand). It is most often recorded in New Zealand, French Polynesia and Cook Islands.
When is the best time to see the Long-tailed Koel?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November and December (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Long-tailed Koel endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Long-tailed Koel as Least Concern.
What does the Long-tailed Koel eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Long-tailed Koel in?
It belongs to the family Cuckoos (Cuculidae), order Cuculiformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 117 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Perches in trees
- Migration
- Migratory
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 172 mm
- Tail
- 205 mm
- Bill
- 32 mm
- Tarsus
- 33 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Australasia: North, South and Stewart islands and satellites (New Zealand)
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuckoos Cuculidae
- Genus
- Urodynamis
More from the family Cuckoos
Guira CuckooGuira guira
Greater AniCrotophaga major
Smooth-billed AniCrotophaga ani
Groove-billed AniCrotophaga sulcirostris
Striped CuckooTapera naevia
Pheasant CuckooDromococcyx phasianellus
Pavonine CuckooDromococcyx pavoninus
Lesser Ground CuckooMorococcyx erythropygus
Greater RoadrunnerGeococcyx californianus
Lesser RoadrunnerGeococcyx velox
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Tobin Sparling (he/him). ↗
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