Photo: Giles Laurent / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-chested Cuckoo
Cuculus solitarius
Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) — 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 Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 76.7 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 solitarius
Quick facts
- Weight
- 76.7 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 Red-chested Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-chested Cuckoo is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
The Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) is a species of bird in the Cuculidae family, part of the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 76.7 g, with a wing length of about 18.8 cm and a tail of around 15.1 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 12.1 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-chested Cuckoo?
The Red-chested Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 76.7 g.
Where does the Red-chested Cuckoo live?
The Red-chested Cuckoo is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Red-chested Cuckoo belong to?
The Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Red-chested Cuckoo eat?
The Red-chested Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Red-chested Cuckoo migrate?
The Red-chested Cuckoo is partially migratory: some populations move with the seasons while others stay resident year-round.
Is the Red-chested 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 Red-chested Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Red-chested 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 Red-chested Cuckoo's range?
The Red-chested Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 12.1 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
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Cuckoos & Turacos
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern