Skip to main content
African Cuckoo
Showing stays that recordAfrican Cuckoo50+ stays list it on site or nearby
Species insights

Parks where hosts record the African Cuckoo

Stays that give back

Across South Africa

African Cuckoo recorded here

Mdluli Safari Lodge

African Cuckoo recorded here

The Orpen Kruger

Reliably seen · Birder friendly

Wilge River Bush Camp

African Cuckoo recorded here

Twee Rivieren Rest Camp

African Cuckoo recorded here

Orpen Rest Camp

African Cuckoo recorded here

Singita Lebombo Villa

African Cuckoo recorded here

Mata-Mata Rest Camp

African Cuckoo recorded here

Grootkolk Wilderness Camp

African Cuckoo recorded here

Singita Sweni Lodge

African Cuckoo recorded here

Bitterpan Wilderness Camp

African Cuckoo recorded here

Singita Lebombo Lodge

Bushveld game country and the southern gates of the Kruger

See places that give back
Kruger Lowveld

Planning a trip

When and where to find the African Cuckoo

Hosts have recorded the African Cuckoo at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park and Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park.

How and when to see the African Cuckoo

Best hours of the day

  • The first hours after sunrise, and late afternoon. Birds call and feed most in the cool.
  • Midday. Quieter, especially in summer heat.

Where to base yourself

  • Self-drive
    Stays in Limpopo
    Limpopo
  • Self-drive
    Stays in KwaZulu-Natal
    KwaZulu-Natal
  • Self-driveMalaria-free
    Stays in Northern Cape
    Northern Cape

Ways to look

Drive yourself

Your own vehicle and pace, on the park's roads.

IUCN Red List

Least Concern

Species

Cuculus gularis

Records

96

iNaturalist observations

Every booking on Spekboom supports conservation.

Questions travellers ask

A record means a host has seen the African Cuckoo on the property or nearby. It is never a guarantee of a sighting.

Which parks and reserves are best for the African Cuckoo in South Africa?

Hosts on Spekboom have recorded the African Cuckoo at stays in or beside Kruger National Park, uKhahlamba-Drakensberg Park, Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park, Mapungubwe National Park, Giants Castle Game Reserve and iSimangaliso Wetland Park and other reserves. A record means a host has seen it on the property or nearby, which makes these the places to base yourself; it is never a guarantee of a sighting on any given day.

Where can you see the African Cuckoo in South Africa?

The African Cuckoo is most recorded in Mpumalanga (52% of records), Limpopo (25% of records), Northern Cape (13% of records), based on 96 iNaturalist observations. 70 places to stay on Spekboom in South Africa have recorded the African Cuckoo on site or nearby.

When is the best time to see the African Cuckoo?

Sightings of the African Cuckoo peak from Jan to Feb, based on 96 iNaturalist records. You may still see it outside those months, sightings are just less frequent.

What is the conservation status of the African Cuckoo?

The African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

What is the African Cuckoo?

The African cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Sub-Saharan Africa where it migrates within the continent, generally arriving and breeding in any one locality during the rainy season. A fairly common bird, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has rated its conservation status as being of "least concern".