In New Zealand, the Shining Bronze Cuckoo is a small migrant that arrives in spring and stays into autumn. Its back has a green sheen and its white underside is barred. It lays eggs in smaller birds' nests and leaves the care of its young to them.
The upperparts are glossy dark green, and the white underside has dark green bars. The sexes look alike; juveniles are duller, especially on the throat and chest.
In New Zealand it is present in spring, summer, and autumn, either to breed or while moving to and from breeding areas. It lays a single egg in a host bird's nest and leaves the host to raise the chick.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.