Black Cuckoo

Black Cuckoo

Cuculus clamosus

Silhouette: Nicolas Huet le Jeune and Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
at Garden Route National Park
30 Verified sightings at Garden Route National Park From 2019 to 2026
1,729 Verified sightings across all 45 parks From 2019 to 2026
October Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Black Cuckoo

The black cuckoo (Cuculus clamosus) 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.

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.

The subspecies Cuculus clamosus gabonensis is a resident in Central Africa, whereas the Southern African subspecies Cuculus clamosus clamosus is migratory, breeding in Southern Africa in September to December, then moving in March to Central, Eastern and West Africa. The range of this species extends from Liberia to Ethiopia in the east and Angola and South Africa. It is a woodland bird but avoids the interior of dense forests... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Garden Route National Park

Red-chested Cuckoo
LC

Red-chested Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cuculus solitarius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Common Cuckoo
LC

Common Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cuculus canorus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Klaas's Cuckoo
LC

Klaas's Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chrysococcyx klaas

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
White-browed Coucal
LC

White-browed Coucal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Centropus superciliosus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Dideric Cuckoo
LC

Dideric Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chrysococcyx caprius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
African Emerald Cuckoo
LC

African Emerald Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
2 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
3 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
4 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
5 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
6 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
7 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
8 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
9 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
10 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
11 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
12 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
13 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
14 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
<5%
15 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
16 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
17 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
18 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
19 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
20 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
21 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
<5%
22 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
23 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
24 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
25 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
26 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
27 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
28 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
29 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
30 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
31 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
32 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
33 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
34 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
36 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
37 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
38 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
39 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
40 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
Insufficient data
41 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
42 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
43 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
44 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
45 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Black Cuckoo in Garden Route National Park?

Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black Cuckoo sighting in Garden Route National Park, based on 30 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black Cuckoo in Garden Route National Park?

October has the highest sighting rate for Black Cuckoo in Garden Route National Park in our monthly data.

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