Photo: J.M.Garg / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cuckoos & Turacos

Jacobin Cuckoo

Clamator jacobinus

Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Africa.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of India Birds of Kenya Birds of Malaysia Birds of the Philippines Birds of Thailand Birds of Tanzania Birds of South Africa

By family

Cuckoos of India Cuckoos of Kenya Cuckoos of Malaysia Cuckoos of the Philippines Cuckoos of Thailand Cuckoos of Tanzania Cuckoos of South Africa

See what's near you right now

The Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Africa and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 79.4 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
Genus Clamator
Species jacobinus

Where it lives

Widespread in AF, India to Myanmar

Quick facts

Weight: 79.4 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Cuculidae
Order: Cuculiformes
Habitat: Grassland & open country

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Jacobin Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of open grassland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.

Migration

The Jacobin Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

The Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers AF, OR widespread in AF, India to Myanmar.

It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 79.4 g, with a wing length of about 14.5 cm and a tail of around 16.1 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 16.1 million km² — a very large global range.

Songs & calls

Jacobin Cuckoo — Call

Recorded by Uku Paal Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Jacobin Cuckoo?

The Jacobin Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 79.4 g.

Where does the Jacobin Cuckoo live?

The Jacobin Cuckoo is found across Africa and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering AF, OR widespread in AF, India to Myanmar, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.

What family does the Jacobin Cuckoo belong to?

The Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.

What does the Jacobin Cuckoo eat?

The Jacobin Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Jacobin Cuckoo migrate?

The Jacobin Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.

Is the Jacobin 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 Jacobin Cuckoo make?

1 real field recording of the Jacobin Cuckoo — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.

How large is the Jacobin Cuckoo's range?

The Jacobin Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 16.1 million km².