Black Cuckoo
Cuculus clamosus
The Black Cuckoo (Cuculus clamosus) is a uncommon cuckoo found in 32 countries, weighing about 79 g. The black cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.
About the Black Cuckoo
The black cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. The species is distributed widely across sub-Saharan Africa. There are two subspecies. This cuckoo has a very wide range and is quite common so it is classified as a least-concern species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The black cuckoo is a medium-sized cuckoo. The sexes are similar, the plumage varying by subspecies; Cuculus clamosus clamosus has upper parts black glossed with green, slatey-grey wings and black tail tipped with white and sometimes with the outer feathers barred or spotted with white or buff; Cuculus clamosus gabonensis is mostly black with a red throat and black and white barring on the belly.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in Burundi, Lesotho, Mali, Sudan.
When to see it
Best months: January, February, October, November, December, with peak activity in November. It is a winter visitor species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Black Cuckoo?
- The black cuckoo is a medium-sized cuckoo. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Black Cuckoo?
- The Black Cuckoo is a medium sized bird weighing about 79 g.
- Where can you see a Black Cuckoo?
- The Black Cuckoo occurs in 32 countries, including South Africa, Namibia, Uganda, Kenya and Zambia.
- What birds look similar to a Black Cuckoo?
- The Black Cuckoo is most easily confused with the Indian Cuckoo, the Oriental Cuckoo and the Himalayan Cuckoo.
- Is the Black Cuckoo endangered?
- The Black Cuckoo is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Black Cuckoo for real
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