Thick-billed Cuckoo
Pachycoccyx audeberti
Silhouette: Nicolas Huet le Jeune and Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCuculiformes (Cuckoos)
- FamilyCuculidae (Cuckoos)
- GenusPachycoccyx
- SpeciesPachycoccyx audeberti (Thick-billed Cuckoo)
About the Thick-billed Cuckoo
The thick-billed cuckoo (Pachycoccyx audeberti) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is monotypic within the genus Pachycoccyx. It can easily be distinguished from other brood parasitic cuckoo species by its very thick bill, which is shaped in a rather hawk-like fashion.
In a molecular genetic study by Sorenson and Payne (2005), the thick-billed cuckoo appeared to be most closely related to the koels, consisting of the dwarf koel (Microdynamis parva) and the true koels (Eudynamys), although the evidence was not very strong and further research was required.
The thick-billed cuckoo is found in humid to subhumid woodlands and gallery forests from Guinea in the northwest to Mozambique in the southeast, though it is absent from large areas of the Congo Basin. It formerly occurred in the rainforests of northeastern Madagascar, but has not been reported from that island since 1922. In its southernmost regions the thick-billed cuckoo is partially migratory, spending the southern dry season in East Africa.
It is a typical cuckoo in terms of behaviour, feeding on hairy caterpillars, but also having a strong preference for grasshoppers... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Thick-billed Cuckoo in South Luangwa National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at South Luangwa National Park
Senegal Coucal
Centropus senegalensis
Red-chested Cuckoo
Cuculus solitarius
White-browed Coucal
Centropus superciliosus
Black Cuckoo
Cuculus clamosus
African Emerald Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx cupreus
Klaas's Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx klaas
Jacobin Cuckoo
Clamator jacobinus
Levaillant's Cuckoo
Clamator levaillantii
Dideric Cuckoo
Chrysococcyx caprius
African Cuckoo
Cuculus gularis
Coppery-tailed Coucal
Centropus cupreicaudus
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Clamator glandarius
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tsavo East National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 2 | Ruaha National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 3 | South Luangwa National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 4 | Kafue National Park | 🇿🇲 Zambia | |
| 5 | Kruger National Park | 🇿🇦 South Africa | |
| 6 | Meru National Park | 🇰🇪 Kenya | |
| 7 | Mikumi National Park | 🇹🇿 Tanzania | |
| 8 | Liwonde National Park | 🇲🇼 Malawi | |
| 9 | Gonarezhou National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 10 | Gorongosa National Park | 🇲🇿 Mozambique | |
| 11 | Akagera National Park | 🇷🇼 Rwanda | |
| 12 | Hwange National Park | 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe | |
| 13 | Lake Mburo National Park | 🇺🇬 Uganda |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Thick-billed Cuckoo in South Luangwa National Park?
Under 5% of wildlife watchers report a Thick-billed Cuckoo sighting in South Luangwa National Park, based on 9 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Thick-billed Cuckoo in South Luangwa National Park?
October has the highest sighting rate for Thick-billed Cuckoo in South Luangwa National Park in our monthly data.