The red-chested cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is a medium-sized bird found in Africa, south of the Sahara. In Afrikaans, it is known as "Piet-my-vrou", after its call.[2]
The red-chested cuckoo is a medium-size cuckoo about 31 cm (12.2 in) in length. The male has slate-grey upper parts, pale grey throat and sides of head and dark grey tail tipped with white. The breast is rufous or cinnamon, often with barring, and the belly is creamy-white or pale buff. The female is similar but the colour of the breast is duller and with variable amounts of barring.[3]
It is usually solitary and highly vocal and lives on forests and plantations. It eats insects including hairy caterpillars, spiders, centipedes, millipedes, slugs, snails, small vertebrates and berries.[3]
The red-chested cuckoo takes on more than a single mate (it is polygamous). The nesting habit of red-chested cuckoo is to use the nest of another bird (brood parasitism). About fifteen different species of small bird are parasitised but the most common hosts are the Cape robin-chat (Cossypha caffra), the Cape wagtail (Motacilla capensis) and the white-throated robin-chat (Cossypha humeralis).[4] The surrogate family then raise the chick. The bird lays eggs which are brown in colour and number between 20 eggs per season in different nests.[3] Like other cuckoos, the red-chested cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds’ nests, leaving the parasitized birds to care for the cuckoo chicks, which they do, believing it is their own offspring.
Referencesedit
^ abBirdLife International (2016). "Cuculus solitarius". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22683862A93004360. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22683862A93004360.en. Retrieved 12 November 2021.
^Sinclair, Ian (31 July 1995). Voëls van Suider-Afrika. Struik. ISBN1-86825-197-7.
^ abcdErritzøe, Johannes; Mann, Clive F.; Brammer, Frederik; Fuller, Richard A. (2012). Cuckoos of the World. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 451–453. ISBN978-1-4081-4267-7.
Red-chested cuckoo - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds.
January 01, 1970
chested, cuckoo, chested, cuckoo, cuculus, solitarius, species, cuckoo, family, cuculidae, medium, sized, bird, found, africa, south, sahara, afrikaans, known, piet, vrou, after, call, kibale, forest, national, park, uganda, source, source, calls, recorded, ki. The red chested cuckoo Cuculus solitarius is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae It is a medium sized bird found in Africa south of the Sahara In Afrikaans it is known as Piet my vrou after its call 2 Red chested cuckoo Red chested cuckoo at Kibale Forest National Park Uganda source source Calls recorded in Kitale Kenya Conservation status Least Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classification Domain Eukaryota Kingdom Animalia Phylum Chordata Class Aves Order Cuculiformes Family Cuculidae Genus Cuculus Species C solitarius Binomial name Cuculus solitariusStephens 1815 Contents 1 Description 2 Distribution and habitat 3 Behaviour 4 References 5 External linksDescription editThe red chested cuckoo is a medium size cuckoo about 31 cm 12 2 in in length The male has slate grey upper parts pale grey throat and sides of head and dark grey tail tipped with white The breast is rufous or cinnamon often with barring and the belly is creamy white or pale buff The female is similar but the colour of the breast is duller and with variable amounts of barring 3 Distribution and habitat edit nbsp Male at Walter Sisulu Botanical Garden South Africa nbsp A female in KwaZulu Natal South Africa nbsp A juvenile bird being fed by a Cape robin chat host nbsp An immature bird in fresh plumage South Africa It is found in Angola Benin Botswana Burundi Cameroon Central African Republic Chad Republic of the Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Ivory Coast Equatorial Guinea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea Bissau Kenya Lesotho Liberia Malawi Mali Mozambique Namibia Nigeria Rwanda Senegal Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa Sudan Tanzania Togo Uganda Zambia and Zimbabwe 1 In Southern Africa it is a common breeding migrant found throughout the area except for the drier west The preferred habitats for the red chested cuckoo are woodlands The red chested cuckoo is normally seen by itself rather than in the company of birds of the same species 3 Behaviour editIt is usually solitary and highly vocal and lives on forests and plantations It eats insects including hairy caterpillars spiders centipedes millipedes slugs snails small vertebrates and berries 3 The red chested cuckoo takes on more than a single mate it is polygamous The nesting habit of red chested cuckoo is to use the nest of another bird brood parasitism About fifteen different species of small bird are parasitised but the most common hosts are the Cape robin chat Cossypha caffra the Cape wagtail Motacilla capensis and the white throated robin chat Cossypha humeralis 4 The surrogate family then raise the chick The bird lays eggs which are brown in colour and number between 20 eggs per season in different nests 3 Like other cuckoos the red chested cuckoo lays its eggs in other birds nests leaving the parasitized birds to care for the cuckoo chicks which they do believing it is their own offspring References edit a b BirdLife International 2016 Cuculus solitarius IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016 e T22683862A93004360 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2016 3 RLTS T22683862A93004360 en Retrieved 12 November 2021 Sinclair Ian 31 July 1995 Voels van Suider Afrika Struik ISBN 1 86825 197 7 a b c d Erritzoe Johannes Mann Clive F Brammer Frederik Fuller Richard A 2012 Cuckoos of the World Bloomsbury Publishing pp 451 453 ISBN 978 1 4081 4267 7 Cuculus solitarius Red chested cuckoo Biodiversity Explorer Izico Retrieved 2014 06 10 External links editRed chested cuckoo Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Red chested cuckoo amp oldid 1194577580, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
