About Chrysococcyx caprius (Boddaert, 1783)
The diederik cuckoo, Chrysococcyx caprius (Boddaert, 1783), is a small cuckoo species that measures 18 to 20 cm in length. Adult males have glossy green upper plumage, with areas of copper sheen on the back, and whitish underparts. They display a broken white eye-stripe and a short green malar stripe. All flight feathers (remiges) have three to four white spots on their inner vanes. The four green outer tail feathers are tipped with white, and the outermost pair of outer tail feathers have white spots on both vanes. Females have more copper coloring on their upperparts, and coppery barring on their flanks. Their underparts are often tinted brownish. Juveniles have a red bill, a streaky throat, and a white wing-bar. Compared to females, juveniles are more copper-colored on the upperparts and browner on the underparts, with brown blotches as flank markings. This species is a common resident breeder across Sub-Saharan Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. It has been recorded as far north as Cyprus, with observations in 1982 and 2023. It is a short-distance seasonal migrant that moves in coordination with seasonal rains. It is a solitary bird that lives in open woodland, savanna, and riverside bush habitats.
