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African Cuckoo Hawk | Aviceda cuculoides
The African Cuckoo Hawk is a Southern African bird that belongs to the Accipitridae bird family group which includes birds such as Raptors, Old Vultures, Osprey. The description for the African Cuckoo Hawk (Latin name Aviceda cuculoides) can be found in the 7th Edition of the Roberts Birds of Southern Africa. The Aviceda cuculoides can be quickly identified by its unique Roberts identification number of 128 and the detailed description of this bird is on page 474. You will find a picture of the African Cuckoo Hawk on page 433. NOTE: The reference for the information following is "Roberts Birds of Southern Africa", 7th Edition*. This edition contained a number of taxonomic changes as well as changes to English names used traditionally and in earlier editions of most bird books in South Africa. The following paragraph notes such changes if any. This bird is known as Cuckoo Hawk in the Roberts 6th Edition. There have been no changes in the Latin name for the African Cuckoo Hawk between the Roberts 6th and Roberts 7th Edition The African Cuckoo Hawk is known in Afrikaans as Koekoekvalk. The African Cuckoo Hawk has a height of 40 cms and weighs around 250 gms. The head is coloured brown while the bill is coloured black. The Aviceda cuculoides has a blue, grey coloured throat, yellow legs and a brown coloured back. The eyes are brown. The male Aviceda cuculoides has physical features that are slightly different from the female bird. Take note of the main distinguishing features such as colour, size and leg length relative to the body size. Colours of body parts can be helpful. Be aware what may appear brown to one person is described in Roberts using some other word ... for example brown, black. See colours used in Roberts. Head is brown Eyes are brown Bill is black Legs are yellow Throat is blue, grey Back is brown Feeding Habits ...The Aviceda cuculoides attacks its prey aerially and feeds on wing or takes the prey to a secluded venue where it is killed, torn into small pieces and eaten This bird eats insects such as butterflies, bees, wasps, locusts and ants. These invertebrates are usually hawked aerially, killed and then eaten . Breeding, Habitat and Nesting Habits ...The African Cuckoo Hawk is a monogamous bird which means that the bird finds and breeds with one partner for the rest of its life. The bird lays between 1 to 2 eggs and they are coloured . The nest is built high up in the tree canopy and is protected from predators by branches and the dense green foligae. The African Cuckoo Hawk is mainly found in light and densely wooded forests, where there are Mopane trees. This bird is very common in most of the Southern African Forests Seen in Flocks, Singles or Pairs Normally ...The African Cuckoo Hawk is mainly seen singly or in pairs in the wild. It is also seen in flocks |
