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 Insufficient data
at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park
3 Verified sightings at Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park From 2019 to 2026
1,729 Verified sightings across all 45 parks From 2019 to 2026
☀️ 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 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park

African Cuckoo
LC

African Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cuculus gularis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Dideric Cuckoo
LC

Dideric Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Chrysococcyx caprius

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Great Spotted Cuckoo
LC

Great Spotted Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Clamator glandarius

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Jacobin Cuckoo
LC

Jacobin Cuckoo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Clamator jacobinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

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
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