Blue-headed Coucal (Centropus monachus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Blue-headed Coucal

Centropus monachus Rüppell, 1837

201 gWeight

The blue-headed coucal (Centropus monachus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.

Busiest months: March, July and November–December · Most records: Uganda, Ghana, Rwanda

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Blue-headed Coucal has been recorded at 154 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 20 countries and regions.

Records by month Northern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Mabamba SwampUganda667 records
  2. Mabamba Swamp – Main channelUganda276 records
  3. Kisumu WaterfrontKenya180 records
More places
  1. Lake Awassa – United Africa Shebelle Hotel areaEthiopia158 records
  2. Atewa – farm scrub and degraded forestGhana156 records
  3. Antwikwaa – forest edge & farm scrubGhana147 records
  4. Bigodi SwampUganda116 records
  5. Mt Kenya NP – Castle Forest and LodgeKenya95 records
  6. Lake AwassaEthiopia90 records
  7. Nyandungu Urban Wetland Eco-tourism ParkRwanda85 records

Countries and regions with the most records

UgandaGhanaRwandaKenyaEthiopiaCameroonGabonCongo - Brazzaville

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 blue-headed coucal (Centropus monachus) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is native to tropical central Africa where its typical habitat is swamps, river banks, forest edges and generally wet locations. It is a common bird with a wide range, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Blue-headed Coucal?

The Blue-headed Coucal weighs around 201 g.

Where does the Blue-headed Coucal live?

Its breeding range: Africa: northeastern, central, western. It is most often recorded in Uganda, Ghana and Rwanda.

When is the best time to see the Blue-headed Coucal?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in March, July, November and December (Northern Hemisphere).

Is the Blue-headed Coucal endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Blue-headed Coucal as Least Concern.

What does the Blue-headed Coucal eat?

Main food: Omnivore.

What family is the Blue-headed Coucal in?

It belongs to the family Cuckoos (Cuculidae), order Cuculiformes.

At a glance

Weight
201 g
Habitat
Wetland
Diet
Omnivore
Lifestyle
Active on the ground
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
181 mm
Tail
214 mm
Bill
34 mm
Tarsus
45 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: northeastern, central, western

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Family
Cuckoos Cuculidae
Genus
Centropus

Other birds in the genus Centropus

Buff-headed CoucalBuff-headed CoucalCentropus miloWhite-necked CoucalWhite-necked CoucalCentropus ateralbusIvory-billed CoucalIvory-billed CoucalCentropus menbekiBiak CoucalBiak CoucalCentropus chalybeusRufous CoucalRufous CoucalCentropus unirufusGreen-billed CoucalGreen-billed CoucalCentropus chlororhynchosBlack-faced CoucalBlack-faced CoucalCentropus melanopsBlack-hooded CoucalBlack-hooded CoucalCentropus steeriiShort-toed CoucalShort-toed CoucalCentropus rectunguisBay CoucalBay CoucalCentropus celebensisGabon CoucalGabon CoucalCentropus anselliBlack-throated CoucalBlack-throated CoucalCentropus leucogaster
Blue-headed Coucal

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Asrat Ayalew Gella. ↗

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