African Cuckoo on Mount Kilimanjaro

The African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) is a medium-sized cuckoo found across much of sub-Saharan Africa. It is recognised by its grey plumage, yellow-based bill, long barred tail and distinctive two-note call.

Its scientific name is Cuculus gularis. It belongs to the order Cuculiformes and the family Cuculidae.

The African Cuckoo is approximately 31-33 centimetres long. It has a slim body, pointed wings and a relatively long tail.

Adults are generally slate-grey above, with a pale underside marked by dark bars. They have a yellow-based bill with a dark tip, yellow eye-rings and yellow legs. Their long tails have distinctive pale markings.

It feeds mainly on caterpillars and other insects. Its recorded prey includes beetles, grasshoppers and termites. It generally searches for food among foliage.

It uses open and semi-open habitats such as dry savanna, acacia woodland, miombo woodland, mopane woodland and mixed broadleaf woodland.

Yes. Tanzania is within its native range, and photographic records document the species at several locations in the country, including Serengeti, Maji ya Chai and Burka Coffee Estate.

Yes. The species appears on the Kilimanjaro National Park bird checklist. This establishes its park-level listing but does not prove regular sightings on individual trekking routes.

The species is listed for Kilimanjaro National Park, but a verified route-specific sighting record for the modern Marangu trekking trail has not been established here. A sighting should not be promised.

The park checklist confirms the species' wider Kilimanjaro occurrence, but it does not establish the Machame Route as a confirmed viewing location. Any encounter would be a natural wildlife sighting rather than a guaranteed part of the trek.

The male gives a hollow two-note hoop-hoop call, often repeated from a perch. The female produces a faster bubbling series of notes commonly rendered as kwik-kwik-kwik.

It undertakes seasonal movements within Africa. BirdLife International classifies it as a full migrant in its global assessment, although movements and seasonal presence vary across its range.

No. It is an obligate brood parasite. The female lays her egg in the nest of another bird, which incubates the egg and raises the cuckoo chick.

The Fork-tailed Drongo is its principal documented host. The drongo incubates the cuckoo egg and feeds the young bird after it hatches.

It is called a brood parasite because it relies on another bird species to incubate its egg and raise its chick rather than carrying out normal parental care in its own nest.

The African Cuckoo generally has more extensive yellow on its bill and complete white bars on its outer tail feathers. The Common Cuckoo generally has less yellow on the bill and more spot-like tail markings. Calls can also help with identification.

It is not primarily a dense-forest specialist. It is more closely associated with open and semi-open woodland, savanna and wooded landscapes.

The African Cuckoo is classified as Least Concern (LC). BirdLife International's 2024 assessment reports a stable global population trend.

Listen for its hollow two-note call and watch suitable trees and woodland edges. Binoculars can help identify its grey plumage, long tail and yellow-based bill. Always observe without disturbing the bird.

No. African Majestic Adventure does not guarantee sightings of wild birds. The African Cuckoo is listed for the wider national park, but individual encounters depend on natural movements, season, habitat and chance.