The thick-billed cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is monotypic within the genus Pachycoccyx. It can easily be distinguished from other brood parasitic cuckoo species by its very thick bill, which is shaped in a rather hawk-like fashion.
Region
East and Southern Africa
Typical Environment
Occurs patchily from coastal and inland East Africa southward into parts of southeastern Africa. It favors dry to semi-humid woodlands, riverine thickets, miombo and mopane woodland, as well as coastal forest edges and dense scrub. The species keeps to the midstory and edges where it can forage discreetly. Local occurrence often follows insect flushes after rains, making it irregular in some areas.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
The thick-billed cuckoo is the sole member of the genus Pachycoccyx and is notable for its unusually heavy, hawk-like bill. A secretive brood parasite, it lays its eggs in the nests of smaller passerines and leaves the hosts to raise its young. It is often detected more by voice than by sight, favoring dense thickets and woodland edges. Its presence can be patchy and seasonal, tracking local rainfall and insect abundance.
Temperament
solitary and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically encountered alone or in pairs, moving quietly through dense cover. As a brood parasite, it does not build its own nest but instead lays eggs in the nests of small songbirds. Courtship is discreet, and territoriality is expressed mainly through vocalizations. Breeding activity often coincides with periods of peak insect availability.
Migratory Pattern
Partial migrant
Song Description
A series of hollow, resonant whistles or hoots, often given in deliberate sequences from within cover. Calls carry well and can be the first clue to its presence. Vocal activity increases at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Upperparts brownish-olive to grey-brown with a slight sheen; underparts paler with fine, diffuse barring. Long, graduated tail with contrasting pale tips and subtle dark bars. The bill is very thick and deep-based, giving a hawk-like profile.
Diet
Feeds primarily on insects, especially caterpillars, beetles, orthopterans, and other soft-bodied invertebrates. It will also take spiders and occasionally small snails. Prey is gleaned from foliage and branches or snapped up in short sallies. The thick bill helps handle larger, hairy caterpillars that many birds avoid.
Preferred Environment
Forages in dense thickets, woodland edges, and midstory of dry forests and riverine woodland. Often keeps within shaded cover, moving methodically along branches and vines. Will follow insect flushes after rainfall.
