Great Spotted Cuckoo in Tanzania and the Kilimanjaro Region

Its scientific name is Clamator glandarius. It belongs to the order Cuculiformes and the family Cuculidae.

It measures approximately 35-40 cm in length and has a distinctive long, graduated tail.

It has a silver-grey crown and crest, grey-brown upperparts with prominent white spots, creamy underparts and a long dark tail with white tips.

It occurs in open woodland, savanna, thornveld, mopane woodland, scrub and other semi-open landscapes.

Yes. The species is included in Tanzania bird lists and has been documented in different parts of the country.

It is not included in the current Avibase Kilimanjaro National Park checklist reviewed for this guide. A separate Kilimanjaro Region list includes the species, but regional occurrence is not proof of national-park occurrence.

A reliable species-specific record from the modern Marangu trekking route has not been independently verified. The page therefore does not advertise the route as a confirmed viewing location.

A confirmed modern Machame route record has not been independently established. Its inclusion in a regional bird list should not be interpreted as a confirmed sighting on this trail.

It feeds mainly on hairy caterpillars and other insects, including grasshoppers, beetles, ants and moth larvae. It occasionally takes small lizards.

Hairy caterpillars are an important food source. The cuckoo can handle them in ways that reduce or remove the irritating hairs before swallowing them.

No. It is a brood parasite and lays eggs in the nests of other birds rather than routinely building a conventional nest to raise its own chicks.

Brood parasitism is a reproductive strategy in which a bird lays its eggs in another bird's nest. The host bird incubates the egg and raises the young.

Crows and starlings are important host groups. Pied Crow is a documented host in parts of its range, but the host species varies geographically.

Not invariably. Unlike some brood-parasitic cuckoos, Great Spotted Cuckoo chicks do not always eliminate the host young. Host chicks may survive and be raised alongside the cuckoo chick.

It produces loud, rapid, chattering vocalisations, sometimes described as a repeated "kri-kri-kri" sound. The precise call varies.

Movement depends on the population. Some African populations are resident or make local movements, while other populations, particularly in southern Africa and Eurasia, undertake seasonal migration.

Great Spotted Cuckoo has conspicuous white spots across its back and wings, a silver-grey crest and a long white-tipped tail. Jacobin Cuckoo has a different black-and-white plumage pattern.

Its global conservation category is Least Concern (LC). This means it is not currently classified as globally threatened, although habitat and host availability remain ecologically important.

It is more closely associated with open and semi-open habitats such as savanna, thornveld and open woodland than with dense evergreen forest.

No. Wildlife sightings cannot be guaranteed. African Majestic Adventure encourages responsible wildlife observation and accurate information about where species have actually been recorded.