Photo: Tom Tarrant / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Diederik Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx caprius
Diederik Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Africa.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Diederik Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 32.8 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Chrysococcyx
- Species caprius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 32.8 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Diederik Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Diederik Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Diederik Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread; also se Arabian Pen.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 32.8 g, with a wing length of about 11.3 cm and a tail of around 8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 17.8 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Diederik Cuckoo?
The Diederik Cuckoo is a small bird that weighs around 32.8 g.
Where does the Diederik Cuckoo live?
The Diederik Cuckoo is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread; also se Arabian Pen, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Diederik Cuckoo belong to?
The Diederik Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx caprius) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Diederik Cuckoo eat?
The Diederik Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Diederik Cuckoo migrate?
The Diederik Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Diederik Cuckoo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Diederik Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Diederik Cuckoo — including its alarm call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Diederik Cuckoo's range?
The Diederik Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 17.8 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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