Photo: Maans Booysen, Birding Weto / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Coucal
Centropus grillii
Black Coucal (Centropus grillii) — 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 Black Coucal (Centropus grillii) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 123 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 Centropus
- Species grillii
Quick facts
- Weight
- 123 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Black Coucal is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Black Coucal (Centropus grillii) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 123 g, with a wing length of about 16 cm and a tail of around 16.8 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 8.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Coucal?
The Black Coucal is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 123 g.
Where does the Black Coucal live?
The Black Coucal is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Black Coucal belong to?
The Black Coucal (Centropus grillii) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Black Coucal eat?
The Black Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Coucal migrate?
The Black Coucal is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Black Coucal 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 Black Coucal make?
1 real field recording of the Black Coucal — 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 Black Coucal's range?
The Black Coucal has a mapped global range of about 8.5 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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