long-tailed cuckoo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2 (Proficient User)Specialist, Scientific, Regional (NZ/AU)
Quick answer
What does “long-tailed cuckoo” mean?
A specific species of migratory cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis) native to New Zealand, known for its distinctive long tail feathers and brood parasitism.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A specific species of migratory cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis) native to New Zealand, known for its distinctive long tail feathers and brood parasitism.
A term used in ornithology and New Zealand/Australian contexts to refer to this particular bird. It can also be used metaphorically to describe something or someone deceptive or parasitic, borrowing from the cuckoo's behavior.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. The term is most common in New Zealand English and Australian English due to the bird's habitat. British and American English speakers would likely only encounter it in specialized contexts.
Connotations
In New Zealand, it carries specific ecological and cultural connotations (e.g., its Māori name 'koekoeā', its arrival signalling spring). Elsewhere, it is a neutral zoological term.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general corpora. Higher frequency in NZ English texts related to wildlife, conservation, and ecology.
Grammar
How to Use “long-tailed cuckoo” in a Sentence
The [long-tailed cuckoo] [verbs] [prepositional phrase].Scientists [verb] the [long-tailed cuckoo] for its [noun].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “long-tailed cuckoo” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The long-tailed cuckoo population is monitored closely.
- We heard a long-tailed cuckoo call.
American English
- The long-tailed cuckoo migration pattern is remarkable.
- A long-tailed cuckoo specimen was catalogued.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Academic
Used in zoology, ecology, and conservation biology papers discussing avian migration, parasitism, or Pacific biogeography.
Everyday
Virtually never used in everyday conversation outside New Zealand. In NZ, might be mentioned in news about wildlife or spring.
Technical
A precise taxonomical identifier in ornithology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “long-tailed cuckoo”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “long-tailed cuckoo”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “long-tailed cuckoo”
- Misspelling as 'long-tail cuckoo'.
- Using it as a general term for any cuckoo.
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (unless starting a sentence).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. The long-tailed cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis) is native to New Zealand and migrates to Pacific islands. It is not found in the wild in Europe or North America.
Brood parasitism is a reproductive strategy where a bird (like the long-tailed cuckoo) lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species. The host birds then raise the cuckoo's chick, often at the expense of their own offspring.
Yes, but it is a very rare and culturally specific metaphor, primarily understood in New Zealand. It would describe a person or entity that deceptively inserts itself into a situation to benefit at another's expense.
The Māori name for the long-tailed cuckoo is 'koekoeā'.
A specific species of migratory cuckoo (Eudynamys taitensis) native to New Zealand, known for its distinctive long tail feathers and brood parasitism.
Long-tailed cuckoo is usually specialist, scientific, regional (nz/au) in register.
Long-tailed cuckoo: in British English it is pronounced /ˌlɒŋteɪld ˈkʊk.uː/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌlɔːŋteɪld ˈkuː.kuː/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “To play the long-tailed cuckoo (metaphorical, NZ: to deceive or take advantage).”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a cuckoo clock with an unusually long pendulum (tail) that only chimes when it's spring in New Zealand.
Conceptual Metaphor
DECEPTION IS PARASITISM (e.g., 'His strategy was to play the long-tailed cuckoo, letting rivals do the work before taking over.')
Practice
Quiz
In which regional variety of English is the term 'long-tailed cuckoo' most commonly used?