The Fan-tailed Cuckoo is distributed in eastern and south-eastern Australia including Tasmania and in south-west Western Australia. It is also found in New Guinea and several islands as far as Fiji. There are 5 sub-species. The one in Australia is the nominate. It is found mainly in rainforest but also in woodlands, farmland and mangroves.

It is grey above with a grey throat, buff to rufous breast and paler belly. The tail has white bars on either side and, apparently, is infrequently fanned. The eye is brown and the eye-ring is yellow.

It feeds mainly on caterpillars and moths. It is a brood parasite and lays its eggs mainly in domed nests (such as fairy-wren's, thornbill's and scrubwren's).