The Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis) is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is found in Australia, Fiji, Indonesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Habitat

Its natural habitats are temperate forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical moist montanes, paddocks, orchards and gardens. The Australian range is from Cape York in Queensland following the coast south to Shark Bay in Western Australia. Along the west coast, its range extends no more than 1000km inland. In South Australia the range is along the coast except in the south-east corner around Mount Gambier and the Eyre Peninsula. It also inhabits Tasmania.

Breeding and social habits

In Australia the species breeds from July to January. They only lay one mauve white with red and/or brown spotted egg in the nest of other birds like fairy wrens or thornbill. The nest preferred is usually domed in shape. Voice is like a descending trill with a grasshopper-like chirrip

Diet

The species in Australia eats a variety of insect and their larvae, fruits and vegetables, small reptiles, mammals and birds, especially bird chicks.

Adult calling Dayboro, SE Queensland