The African cuckoo occupies huge areas of
sub-Saharan Africa, absent from parts of the DRC, Somalia, South Africa and
Namibia. It usually occurs in open woodland and Acacia savanna, mostly
eating caterpillars. It exclusively parasitizes
Fork-tailed drongos: the male
distracts them whilst the female flies in to the nest, removes any existing eggs
before laying one of its own. Soon after hatching, the chick removes any
existing Drongo eggs or chicks in the nest, remaining in the nest for about 23
days before leaving.
Distribution and habitat
Occurs across sub-Saharan
Africa, absent only from parts of the DRC and Somalia. In southern Africa it is
fairly common in northern and central Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique
and north-eastern South Africa. It is shy and unobtrusive, generally preferring open woodland and Acacia
savanna, avoiding evergreen forest.
Intra-African breeding
migrant, arriving in southern Africa around August-September, going through its
full breeding cycle before departing around March-April.
Food
Its diet is almost exclusively made up of
caterpillars, foraging amongst the foliage of trees and shrubs, occasionally
flying to the ground to pick up a prey item. The following food items have been recorded in its diet:
It is a brood parasite, meaning that it lays its eggs
in other birds nests. The host (usually a
Fork-tailed drongo), thinking that the egg is its own, incubates
the egg and cares for the chick.
Egg-laying season is from September-December, peaking from
October-November.
Both sexes participate in the egg-laying process: the male distracts the
hosts while the female flies in to the drongo's nest, removes any existing
eggs before laying one of her own.
Eggs are incubated by the host for 11-17 days.
The chick removes any existing Drongo eggs in the
nest, eventually leaving the nest at about 23 days old.
Threats
Not threatened, in fact quite common in protected areas.
References
Hockey PAR, Dean WRJ and Ryan PG (eds) 2005. Roberts
- Birds of southern Africa, VIIth ed. The Trustees of the John Voelcker
Bird Book Fund, Cape Town.
