A very common breeding intra-Africa migrant from October to April which is widespread in South Africa.
They are seen solitary or in pairs being neither shy nor secretive like most other cuckoos. The male calls for hours from a conspicuous perch on top of a tree. The call is a persistent plaintive musical dee-dee-deederik, rising then falling in pitch. The female replies with deea-deea-deea.
These cuckoos like woodland, savanna, riverine bush, gardens, parks, farmland and exotic plantations. They feed on caterpillars and other insects. The male feed the female caterpillars in courtship. When flying they have quick wing beats, territorial males may chase other males for up to 400m.
Breeding takes place throughout the South African summer. They use host nest of 24 other species of birds. They lay one egg per host nest, the colour usually matches the host birds eggs.
The female removes and eats one host birds egg before laying her one. Incubation is 10 to 12 days and within four days of hatching, chic evict eggs or young of the host. Post nestling dependence is up to 32 days.
The Zulu name is uNononekhanda and in Afrikaans die deiderikkie.
