Photo: Maans Booysen, Birding Weto / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
African Cuckoo
Cuculus gularis
African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 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 African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 103 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 Cuculus
- Species gularis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 103 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The African 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 African Cuckoo is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 103 g, with a wing length of about 20.9 cm and a tail of around 15.8 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 12.4 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the African Cuckoo?
The African Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 103 g.
Where does the African Cuckoo live?
The African Cuckoo is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the African Cuckoo belong to?
The African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the African Cuckoo eat?
The African Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the African Cuckoo migrate?
The African Cuckoo is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the African 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 African Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the African Cuckoo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the African Cuckoo's range?
The African Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 12.4 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.
Explore more birds
More in Cuculidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Cuckoos & Turacos
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern