- Cercococcyx olivinus
Identification
32-34 cm.
- Dark olive-brown upperparts
- Greyish crown
- Often unbarred remiges and coverts
- Long tail with broad rectrices, tipped white or pale rufous
- Whitish underparts with black barring
- Greenish yellow eye-ring and skin around eye
Sexes similar. Juveniles are tawny with rufous feather tips above, have a pale throat, are streaked below and have pointed rectrices.
Distribution
Africa; from Guinea and Ghana east through southern Nigeria and Cameroon to northern Democratic Republic of Congo, western Uganda, northern Angola and northwest Zambia. Possibly also in Sierra Leone.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Forms a superspecies with Barred Long-tailed Cuckoo.
Habitat
Found mainly in unbroken mature forest. Also in secondary growth and gallery forest.
Behaviour
A shy and secretive species, often only noticed when calling.
Diet
Feeds on insects, mainly hairy caterpillars. Often in mixed-species flocks in middle and upper strata of forest.
Breeding
Breeds in rainy season. A brood parasitic. Host species not known but Pale-breasted Illadopsis and Finsch's Flycatcher-Thrush suspected.
Movements
A resident species.
Vocalisation
An emphatic three-note call, faling in pitch.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2012. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to October 2012. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Olive Long-tailed Cuckoo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Olive_Long-tailed_Cuckoo
