*ORIENTAL / HIMALAYAN CUCKOO Cuculus optatus / C. saturatus

Range Biak, Yapen.

Taxonomy Recognition of three species-level forms in this lineage, of which these two have been recorded in the New Guinea region, represents a problem for birders in that they are virtually impossible to identify in the field unless heard calling or examined in the hand (Beehler & Pratt 2016). Consequently, the taxon recorded on Biak cannot be identified with certainty, although C. saturatus is only a vagrant to New Guinea, whereas C. optatus is a fairly common non-breeding visitor and thus more likely to be the species involved (Beehler & Pratt 2016).

Status Palearctic migrant. First recorded February 1990 near Warafri (Gibbs 1993) and thereafter on just a few occasions. 26 February 1992: near Bosnick (KDB); 21‒23 September 1995: unstated locality (Myers 1997); 26‒27 March 2008: forest near airport (Brickle & Wilson 2008); 1 November 2017: Warafri (G. Poisson, eBird checklist S40240162). 13 January 1994: recorded on Owi (P. Gregory in litt. 2000).