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Overview
Olive long-tailed cuckoo

Olive long-tailed cuckoo

Wikipedia

The olive long-tailed cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found throughout the African tropical rainforest.

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Distribution

Region

Central and West African Rainforest

Typical Environment

Occurs across the African tropical rainforest belt from West Africa through the Congo Basin to western Uganda and northwestern Angola. It inhabits primary and mature secondary lowland forests, dense gallery forests, and well-wooded foothills. Birds keep to the mid-story and canopy but also descend to tangled understory when foraging. It tolerates some forest edge and regenerating habitats if canopy continuity remains. Local movements may track rainfall and food peaks within forest blocks.

Altitude Range

Sea level to 1600 m

Climate Zone

Tropical

Characteristics

Size28–33 cm
Wing Span38–45 cm
Male Weight0.08 kg
Female Weight0.075 kg
Life Expectancy9 years

Ease of Keeping

Beginner friendly: 1/5

Useful to know

A shy forest cuckoo, it is far more often heard than seen, slipping through dense foliage with a long, graduated tail that aids agility. Like many cuckoos, it is an obligate brood parasite, laying its eggs in the nests of smaller forest songbirds. Its mellow, whistled calls carry through African rainforests at dawn and dusk.

Behaviour

Temperament

secretive and skulking

Flight Pattern

short rapid wingbeats with brief glides through dense foliage

Social Behavior

Typically solitary or in pairs within large forest territories. As an obligate brood parasite, it does not build its own nest and instead lays eggs in the nests of smaller passerines, leaving hosts to raise the chicks. Courtship is discreet, relying on vocalizations and pursuit flights within the canopy.

Migratory Pattern

Resident

Song Description

Gives a series of mellow, whistled notes that rise and fall, often carrying far in still forest air. Calls are repeated at intervals, most frequent at dawn and late afternoon, and serve as the best clue to its presence.

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