The Koekoeā or Long-tailed Cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis) may have been one of the keys to the discovery of Aotearoa-New Zealand by ancient Māori. The Koekoeā is widely dispersed in Polynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia but breeds only in Aotearoa-New Zealand.
The migration of the Koekoeā south-west from central Polynesia may have been taken by Māori forebears to be a sign that there was land where the Koekoeā were headed. Following them, however, would have been a prodigious leap of faith given that there was no knowledge of how far they might fly. As it turned out, it is 1700 nautical miles (3000 km) from Rarotonga to Aotearoa-New Zealand.
Based on Bogert (1937)
Data Source: Auckland Museum website
The arrival of the Koekoeā here in October is taken in Māori tradition as a sign to plant kumara. In January-April they migrate north through the Kermadec and Lord Howe Islands to winter over on islands in a vast arc of the Pacific, although their principal range is focused on central Polynesia.
Like all cuckoos, Koekoeā parasite on other birds to incubate their eggs and rear their young. The main host species are the Pōpokotea (Whitehead) in the North Island and Mohua (Yellowhead) in the South Island. Laying is from mid-November to mid-December with a single creamy-white or pale pink egg. Incubation has been estimated at 21 days, with fledging in about 18 days and a period of about four weeks when the foster parents feed the incessant demands for food of the growing bird. Full grown they are about 40cm long and weigh 125 g.
The Koekoeā are known for their harsh, long-drawn-out shriek as they migrate through an area. They tend to return to the same place in Aotearoa -New Zealand year after year.
Source: Heather and Robinson, (1996), Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand, Viking, 363-364
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