SongLark
Bird family
Cuckoo calls
SongLark teaches 12 cuckoos, from Birds of New South Wales, Birds of Southeast QLD, Birds of Western Australia, Birds of the North Island, Birds of Northern Thailand and Birds of England. Cuckoos can sound alike, so play each recording below, read what to listen for, and follow a bird to its own page to learn more.
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Birds of New South Wales
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Pacific Koel Eudynamys orientalis
Persistent, rising 'koo-el' heard through summer nights.
Birds of Southeast QLD
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Channel-billed Cuckoo Scythrops novaehollandiae
Loud, raucous 'awk awk' given in flight.
Birds of Western Australia
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Fan-tailed Cuckoo Cacomantis flabelliformis
A long, mournful, descending trill, repeated through the day in spring.
Birds of the North Island
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Shining Cuckoo Chrysococcyx lucidus
Maori: pipiwharauroa. Repeated upward-slurred whistles through spring and summer.
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Long-tailed Cuckoo Urodynamis taitensis
Maori: koekoea. A harsh screeching zzwheesht, often heard at night in summer.
Birds of Northern Thailand
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Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
The rising 'ko-EL, ko-EL' that carries across town at dawn.
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Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis
A deep resonant series of 'hoop' notes, falling then rising in pitch.
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Plaintive Cuckoo Cacomantis merulinus
A sad descending whistled series, repeated over and over in the heat.
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Green-billed Malkoha Phaenicophaeus tristis
A low croaking 'ko-ko-ko', mostly silent otherwise as it creeps through cover.
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Banded Bay Cuckoo Cacomantis sonneratii
A clear four-note 'smoke-yer-pep-per' whistle, repeated for hours.
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Large Hawk-Cuckoo Hierococcyx sparverioides
The rising, maddening 'brain-fever' phrase, climbing in pitch and pace.
Birds of England
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Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus
The famous 'cuck-oo', repeated over and over in spring; a grey, hawk-like summer visitor.
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Learn cuckoos by ear in SongLark
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