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African Cuckoo

distribution of african cuckoo
Names, conservation status and distribution
african cuckoo, coucou africain, , cuculus gularis, Afrikanerkuckuck, Cuco Barbiblanco, Nicolas Urlacher, wildlife of kenya, birds of kenya, birds of africa
Ol Kinyei Conservancy
african cuckoo, coucou africain, , cuculus gularis, Afrikanerkuckuck, Cuco Barbiblanco, Nicolas Urlacher, wildlife of kenya, birds of kenya, birds of africa
Ol Kinyei Conservancy

african cuckoo, coucou africain, , cuculus gularis, Afrikanerkuckuck, Cuco Barbiblanco, Nicolas Urlacher, wildlife of kenya, birds of kenya, birds of africa
Ol Kinyei Conservancy
african cuckoo, coucou africain, , cuculus gularis, Afrikanerkuckuck, Cuco Barbiblanco, Nicolas Urlacher, wildlife of kenya, birds of kenya, birds of africa
Ol Kinyei Conservancy
african cuckoo, coucou africain, , cuculus gularis, Afrikanerkuckuck, Cuco Barbiblanco, Nicolas Urlacher, wildlife of kenya, birds of kenya, birds of africa
Ol Kinyei Conservancy

The African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) is species that is common throughout sub-Saharan Africa. This cuckoo is an intra-African breeding migrant, arriving in its breeding territory of southern Africa around August-September and departing around March-April.

It is shy and unobtrusive, preferring open woodland and Acacia savanna, avoiding evergreen forest.

 

African Cuckoos are brood parasite - which means they lay their eggs in the existing nests of other birds - often Fork-tailed drongos. The egg-laying season is from September-December, peaking from October-November. When it is time to lay the egg, the male distracts the hosts while the female flies into the nest, removes any eggs before laying one of its own. The hosts incubate the egg and raise the cuckoo chicks as their young.

The chick hatch after an incubation period of about 11-17 days. Soon after hatching, the chicks remove any existing Drongo eggs in the nest. They fledge after about 23 days.

 

Primary diet consists of caterpillars (Lepidoptera), including the Barred eggarlet, as well as beetles, grasshoppers (Orthoptera), termites and winged ants. Eats also  bird's eggs as well as chicks in the nest.

 

Souce : www.beautyofbirds.com