Black and White Cuckoo

Oxylophus jacobinus

Other Names

  Jacobin Cuckoo, Pied-Cuckoo, Pied Crested Cuckoo   Coucou jacobin   Jakobinerkuckuck   Críalo Blanquinegro   Jakobinskatgök     Cuculo bianconero

World: Africa - absent from the arid SW and from the western lowland equatorial forests but otherwise widespread S of 16°N. Asia - from central Iran through Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet and Burma. Eastern African populations are augmented by Asian birds which overwinmter there (as well as in Sri Lanka and southern India).

Kenya: Found in open bush mostly below 1500m (although they do occur up to 3000m). Absent from the arid northern regions.

Parasitises Babblers and Bulbuls. The Kenyan populations show seasonal variation as their numbers are augmented by migrant populations from Asia. Their diet consists largely of insects (particularly hairy catepillars) as well as the eggs of host birds plus berries.