Black-eared cuckoo

Adult weight on average 30 grams[2] and are 19 to 20 cm long,[5] with dull greyish-brown back with distinctive black eye-stripe[6] from the bill to the neck.[7] Rump is pale white and breasts area is pale salmon in colour.[8] Feet and legs are black, eyes are brown, bill is black[6] tail is grey/brown on top, with white tips, while underneath the tail is cream with brownish bars.[6] What distinguishes it from other small sized cuckoo species in Australia is that it doesn't have a metallic coloured feathers on its back.[9]

Juveniles are duller in colour with a more brown eye-stripe.[5]

Common in most areas of Australia except wet coastal forested areas,[10] basically inland side of great dividing range in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland. Vagrants found in Tasmania.[10][11] Breeds in southern Australia below 23rd parallel south[10] some birds will stay in southern Australia during winter, while many will migrate to Northern Australia and further north into Indonesia and PNG,[11]

Dry open forests,[5] scrublands, mallee, mulga, lignum, saltbush and riverside thickets.[10][11] They prefers to fly direct between low trees and shrubs, rather than large trees, and are rare in subhumid areas.[10]

Chicks will give a chirp,[12] while in adults a descending feeeuw[5] or pee-o-weer[8] call in a lower mournful[5] tone than the Horsfield's Bronze-Cuckoo,[12] which maybe a singular or repeated.[5] During courtship a call of pee-o-wit may be also heard.[12] Males are often are observed calling from high branches but can still be found on lower branches[3]

They feed on beetles, diptera, hemiptera, insects, sandflies[10] and have been observed eating hairy caterpillars.[6] Majority of food is obtained on the ground but they have been observed foraging in trees and shrubs.[3]