Alternative name: Yellow-throated Green Cuckoo
- Chrysococcyx flavigularis
Identification
19cm (7½ in).
Male
- Coppery-brown upperparts and sides of neck
- Coppery-green wing coverts
- Tail with white outer rectrices and subterminal black bars
- Bright yellow throat and centre of breast
- Dark green sides of throat and breast
- Rest of underparts barred buff and greenish brown
- Yellowish green eye-ring
- Greenish yellow bill
Female
- Lacks green and yellow on throat
- Finely rufous and dark brown barred face and underparts
- Black bill
Juveniles barred greenish and buff above.
Distribution
Africa from Sierra Leone and Ghana east to Nigeria, southern Cameroon and Gabon to DR Congo, South Sudan and southwest Uganda.
Rare in western Africa, locally more common in central Africa.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
The described subspecies parkesi from Cameroon, DR Congo and Uganda is usually not recognized.
Habitat
Found in the canopy of primary forest, gallery forest and old secondary forest.
Occurs in the lowlands.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects, mainly caterpillars. Takes also some fruit
Breeding
Presumably a brood parasite, hosts unknown.
Movements
A resident species.
Vocalisation
A clear, flute-like whistle of nine to twelve notes, all on same pitch. The first note is the longest, accelerating and then fading away, the series lasting around 3 seconds. Sings all year.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 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) Yellow-throated Cuckoo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 28 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Yellow-throated_Cuckoo
