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

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

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

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderCuculiformes (Cuckoos)
FamilyCuculidae (Cuckoos)
GenusChrysococcyx (Emerald Cuckoos and allies)
SpeciesChrysococcyx cupreus (African Emerald Cuckoo)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Volcanoes National Park

2 Verified sightings at Volcanoes National Park From 2019 to 2026

2,658 Verified sightings across all 40 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the African Emerald Cuckoo

The African emerald cuckoo (Chrysococcyx cupreus) is a species of cuckoo that is native to Africa. As a member of the family Cuculidae, the African emerald cuckoo is an Old World cuckoo. There are four subspecies, namely C. c. cupreus, C. c. sharpei, C. c. intermedius, and C. c. insularum.

C. c. cupreus: Africa south of the Sahara C. c. intermedius: Bioko (Gulf of Guinea) C. c. insularum: São Tomé, Príncipe, and Annobón (Gulf of Guinea) Its range covers most of sub-Saharan Africa, including Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, DRC, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, São Tomé and Príncipe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

The African emerald cuckoo is sexually dimorphic. The males have a green back and head with a yellow breast. Females are barred green and brown on their backs and green and white on their breasts. The African emerald cuckoo can also be identified by its... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Volcanoes National Park

Chrysococcyx klaas

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Chrysococcyx caprius

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cuculus solitarius

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Centropus monachus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Clamator levaillantii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Centropus superciliosus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cercococcyx montanus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Cuculus canorus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cuculus gularis

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Cercococcyx olivinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

See all 10 relatives Show fewer

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

← Back to Volcanoes National Park

African Emerald Cuckoo

About the African Emerald Cuckoo

Recent sightings of African Emerald Cuckoo in Volcanoes National Park

Closest Relatives at Volcanoes National Park

Klaas's Cuckoo

Dideric Cuckoo

Red-chested Cuckoo

Blue-headed Coucal

Levaillant's Cuckoo

White-browed Coucal

Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo

Common Cuckoo

African Cuckoo

Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found