Photo: Mulyowa Elly Kasozi / CC BY 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo
Cercococcyx mechowi
Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo (Cercococcyx mechowi) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Africa.
Found across 2 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo (Cercococcyx mechowi) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 55.6 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 Cercococcyx
- Species mechowi
Where it lives
Sierra Leone to eastern DR Congo, Uganda, and northwestern Tanzania. Also northern Angola
Quick facts
- Weight
- 55.6 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo (Cercococcyx mechowi) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sierra Leone to e DR Congo, Uganda, and nw Tanzania. Also n Angola.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 55.6 g, with a wing length of about 13.3 cm and a tail of around 17.2 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 1.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo?
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 55.6 g.
Where does the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo live?
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sierra Leone to e DR Congo, Uganda, and nw Tanzania. Also n Angola, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo belong to?
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo (Cercococcyx mechowi) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo eat?
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo migrate?
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Dusky Long-tailed 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 Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Dusky Long-tailed 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 Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo's range?
The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 1.4 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.
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