Diederik Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx caprius
Diederik Cuckoo preys on large insects in open woodlands and savannas.
| Scientific name | Chrysococcyx caprius |
|---|---|
| Swahili name | Kuku wa Diederik |
| Conservation status | Least Concern |
| Class | Aves |
| Order | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae |
| Size | Male: approximately 18-20 cm, weight about 30-40 g; Female: similar size, slightly lighter weight |
How to identify
Body feathers glossy green-copper with metallic sheen; abdomen white with black transverse bars; tail feather tips white; beak short and slightly curved; call clear and repetitive
Habitat
Open woodlands, sparse wooded savannas, shrubs, and edges of farmland
Diet
Primarily insectivorous, especially locusts, grasshoppers, and other large insects
When it is active
Diurnal, active throughout the day, especially at dawn and dusk
Where it lives
Widely distributed across sub-Saharan Africa, including Kenya, Tanzania, and the Masai Mara region
How to spot it
Search at dawn or dusk in open woodlands or shrub edges, use its distinctive call to locate
Photography tips
Use a telephoto lens to capture moments of activity among branches, pay attention to lighting to highlight the metallic sheen of feathers
Threats
Habitat destruction and pesticide use may impact food sources
Similar species
Green Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx klaas), distinguished by feather gloss and abdominal bar pattern
You might also like
LC African Broad-billed Roller
Eurystomus glaucurus
LC African Fish Eagle
Haliaeetus vocifer
LC African Green Pigeon
Treron calvus
LC African Grey Hornbill
Lophoceros nasutus
LC African Harrier Hawk
Polyboroides typus
LC African Hawk Eagle
Aquila spilogaster
LC African Hoopoe
Upupa africana
LC African Jacana
Actophilornis africanus