Diderick cuckoo

Introduction: Diderick cuckoos (Chrysococcyx caprius) are common in forest edges, savannah and closed woodlands, open dry savannah, shrub lands, parks and gardens. They are usually seen singly or in pairs.

Distribution: Common throughout Namibia less for the southern Namib Desert. More concentrated in the central and northern regions such as Etosha National Park, Kalahari Desert, Epupa Falls, Rundu.

Diet: Eats mainly caterpillars, grasshoppers and butterflies.

Description: Caprius is Latin of goat-like although it should read cupreus for coppery referring to the head to back metallic green colouration.

Breeding: Brood parasite with small colonies of southern red bishops targeted more frequently than other species, although will invade many weavers nests. Observes colonies for some time before removing host egg from nest lay usually 1 egg sometimes 2. Lays clutches of 3 to 5 eggs.

Size: 20cm.

Weight: 35g.