Long-tailed Cuckoo

40 cm, 125 g. Large brown cuckoo with very long tail. Adult has upperparts rich brown, barred black; face and underparts pale buff, boldly streaked brown and black. Juvenile has upperparts dull brown, spotted white; face and underparts buff, lightly streaked. Main call a loud harsh shriek - ''zzwheesht'' - from a high perch or in flight, any time of day. In flight, tail as long as body. Usual hosts are Whitehead, Brown Creeper and Yellowhead. Habitat: Mainly native and exotic forest, Oct-Mar, but almost anywhere on migration. Migrates to Pacific islands. Breeding: Nov-Jan.