Bird Album
Black Coucal
Centropus grillii Hartlaub, 1861
123 gWeight
The black coucal (Centropus grillii) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.
Busiest months: February and April · Most records: Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya
Where and when it's recorded
Black Coucal has been recorded at 158 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 26 countries and regions.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Maasai Mara NR – Mara TriangleKenya158 records
- Serengeti NPTanzania88 records
- Queen Elizabeth II NPUganda77 records
More places
- Tarangire NPTanzania60 records
- Kidepo Valley NPUganda57 records
- Serengeti NP – SeroneraTanzania45 records
- Queen Elizabeth II NP – Ishasha SectorUganda35 records
- Macaneta – Wetland, dune forests and coastMozambique34 records
- Monavale MarshZimbabwe32 records
- Jakhaly Rice FieldsGambia30 records
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The black coucal (Centropus grillii) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It has a wide distribution in Africa south of the Sahara.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Black Coucal?
The Black Coucal weighs around 123 g.
Where does the Black Coucal live?
Its breeding range: Africa: widespread. It is most often recorded in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya.
When is the best time to see the Black Coucal?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in February and April (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Black Coucal endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Black Coucal as Least Concern.
What does the Black Coucal eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Black Coucal in?
It belongs to the family Cuckoos (Cuculidae), order Cuculiformes.
At a glance
- Weight
- 123 g
- Habitat
- Grassland
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Partial migrant
- Conservation
- Least Concern
More measurements
- Wing
- 160 mm
- Tail
- 168 mm
- Bill
- 26 mm
- Tarsus
- 40 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: widespread
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuckoos Cuculidae
- Genus
- Centropus
Other birds in the genus Centropus
Buff-headed CoucalCentropus milo
White-necked CoucalCentropus ateralbus
Ivory-billed CoucalCentropus menbeki
Biak CoucalCentropus chalybeus
Rufous CoucalCentropus unirufus
Green-billed CoucalCentropus chlororhynchos
Black-faced CoucalCentropus melanops
Black-hooded CoucalCentropus steerii
Short-toed CoucalCentropus rectunguis
Bay CoucalCentropus celebensis
Gabon CoucalCentropus anselli
Black-throated CoucalCentropus leucogaster
Download illustration
Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Per Holmen. ↗
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