The Black-eared Cuckoo is a brood-parasitic cuckoo found widely across mainland Australia. Its breeding records are concentrated in the southern inland half of the continent.
The sexes are alike. The upperparts are brownish grey with a paler rump; the underbody is unbarred buff. A broad white eyebrow and white tail tip stand out.
It lays eggs in other birds' nests. Speckled Warblers and Redthroats are named as main hosts in New South Wales, and breeding timing varies by region and rainfall.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.