[2] The brown cuckoo-dove was formally described in 1821 by the Dutch zoologist Coenraad Jacob Temminck from a specimen collected near Port Jackson in New South Wales, Australia.

[5] The brown cuckoo-dove is now placed in the genus Macropygia, which was introduced by the English naturalist William Swainson in 1837.

The feathers are a rich rusty-brown colour, and the short wings, long tail and back are darker.

The call of this dove is a very loud "whoop-a whoop" with some differences depending on the subspecies involved.

Its diet consists of berries from both native plants and introduced weed species.