Cornell Lab. of Ornithology visitor

Not all birds play by the same rules and cuckoos are among the most surprising of them all!

In November 2025, James Kennerley from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology visited the bush block to explore the feasibility of conducting research on the property. James is an ornithologist with a special interest in cuckoos, a group of birds famous for their unusual breeding strategy known as brood parasitism.

Unlike most birds, many cuckoos do not raise their own young. Instead they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and leave the unsuspecting foster parents to care for their young.

Australia is a global hotspot for brood parasitism, and we have 10 species of brood parasitic cuckoo that breed here. On the bush block we have been fortunate to have observed five of these incredible species so far: Horsfield’s Bronze, Shining Bronze, Black-eared, Pallid and Fan-tailed Cuckoos.

Australia’s brood parasitic cuckoos are as intriguing as they are important, each playing a unique role in the land’s ecosystem. There is still so much to learn about these remarkable birds, and the more we discover, the better equipped we’ll be to conserve them for generations to come.