Fun Jacobin Cuckoo Facts For Kids

Iram Ashfaq
Nov 01, 2022 By Iram Ashfaq
Originally Published on Aug 11, 2021
Edited by Isobel Murphy
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Discover a few Jacobin cuckoo facts we bet you didn't know.

The Jacobin cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is a little bird with an interesting appearance and even more interesting habits. It can be found in Australia, South America, Africa, and Asia and it has to live in warm climates for mating purposes.

These birds are also known as pied crested cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) birds and they can be described as brood parasites.

This means that they lay their eggs in other birds' nests, sometimes forcing other birds out of the nest, killing these chicks in order to incubate theirs!

If you're lucky enough to spot one of these feathered creatures during your travels try not to disturb its habitat or make any loud noise so that you won't scare it away. The Jacobin cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is found in the forests of central and eastern Africa and South Africa, as well as in Australia, South America, and Asia.

The Jacobin cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) can live for up to 20 years old! This makes it one of the oldest  birds on earth that doesn't migrate.

The Jacobin cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is one of the most elusive birds in North America. It spends its winters hiding from harsher weather and eats insects, small lizards, or invertebrates found amid tree foliage when it's warm enough to do so.

The Indian Jacobin cuckoo (dark morph) is considered a symbol of the monsoon, as their breeding season falls during the monsoon period.

For more relatable content, check out these black-billed cuckoo facts and yellow-billed cuckoo facts for kids.

Jacobin Cuckoo Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Jacobin cuckoo?

Clamator jacobinus pied crested cuckoo birds are birds that are found in South Africa, Asia, and beyond. These pied cuckoo birds are named in reference to their large size and peculiar appearance.

What class of animal does a Jacobin cuckoo belong to?

The pied cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is a beautiful bird found in South Africa and Sri Lanka. The Clamator jacobinus species belongs to the class Aves and has an olive back with red wings tipped in black on its underside. It also has a white wing patch.

How many Jacobin cuckoos are there in the world?

It's estimated that there may be anywhere between 25,000-30,000 nesting pairs or fewer than 500 million individuals worldwide, we just don't know the exact population with certainty!

Where does a Jacobin cuckoo live?

This pied cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) is often found in tropical forests and rainforests. These are the perfect environments to support this bird's lifestyle. While these birds only inhabit a small portion of these areas, both habitats provide ample resources for them, including insects that share similar body types with bees and flies.

What is a Jacobin cuckoo's habitat?

The Jacobin cuckoo is a species of bird that can be found in the Palearctic ecozone and parts of South Africa and India. Its habitat includes open woodland or tall forest regions with coppice, scrubby undergrowth, freshwater wetlands, fens, and wet heathland areas.

Who do Jacobin cuckoos live with?

The Clamator jacobinus species has a beautiful yet brief life spent predominantly alone. They live with others of their species for only one month out of the year to raise their chicks!

How long does a Jacobin cuckoo live?

A lot depends on their habitat and breeding habits, but scientists estimate that this bird's lifespan ranges between 20-25 years with an average age being about 20.

How do they reproduce?

The Clamator jacobinus is a beautiful bird species with an interesting reproductive cycle. It is a brood parasite, meaning that female Clamator jacobinus cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, such as yellow warblers and red finches.

These birds will incubate the Jacobin cuckoo eggs for the mother, while she moves on to another nest unharmed. They can return to lay more eggs in that same nest until up to four sets have been deposited. At this point she will stop coming back!

What is their conservation status?

The Clamator jacobinus pied cuckoo bird has a conservation status of Least Concern.

Jacobin Cuckoo Fun Facts

What do Jacobin cuckoos look like?

Jacobin cuckoos are uniquely colored birds that have striped patterns on their tails along with the colors gray and black as well as other vibrant color combinations. They also sport an unmistakable long tail shape which helps differentiate this species from other birds that live nearby such as puffins.

The sleek black wings of Clamator jacobinus birds flap gracefully during their flights through dense forests in search of insects! They also have a long beak which they use for drinking water during the monsoon period.

Tropical Rainforest

How cute are they?

The Clamator jacobinus is an attractive and seemingly innocent-looking bird. Its body has a grayish-brown color with white wing spots that look like eyes, making it quite cute.

How do they communicate?

The pied cuckoo bird is known for being an avian hermit, preferring solitude over socialization, but this doesn't mean that the bird isn't capable of communicating others at all!

When they need to find new prey or to warn others of danger, these feathered friends come together in order to keep their clan safe and well-fed by communicating in different ways.

One way in which they communicate is by flapping their wings vigorously in flight!

How big is a Jacobin cuckoo?

A pied cuckoo bird is 23-25 in (60-65 cm) long, making it one of the longest birds in South Africa, southern India, and the African continent!

How fast can a Jacobin cuckoo fly?

The pied cuckoo bird can reach speeds of up to 50 mph (80 kph) in flight.

How much does a Jacobin cuckoo weigh?

This partially migratory black and white cuckoo bird is a lightweight bird that weighs an average of  0.1 lb (65-75 g) and can be found in Africa and in southern Indian regions.

What are their male and female names of the species?

Both male and female birds of this species are commonly referred to as  Jacobin cuckoos! This bird loves drinking water when it rains in the monsoon season, using its beak!

What would you call a baby Jacobin cuckoo?

Juvenile Jacobin cuckoo birds are known as cuckoo babies or chicks!

What do they eat?

These small African birds are found in southeast Africa and India and have a diet that consists of insects, fruits, hairy caterpillars, grasshoppers, and snails.

Are they dangerous?

Jacobin cuckoo birds have been around for hundreds of years and they are not dangerous. This bird group is known as a cuckoo thanks to the distinctive sound they make when they call other birds!

Would they make a good pet?

Yes, Jacobin cuckoos can be kept as pets, but they are not common pets. They are probably best left in their natural habitat range across Africa and Asia.

Did you know...

When it comes to pied cuckoo vs Jacobin cuckoo facts, they are actually the same bird! That's right, the pied cuckoo is another name for the Jacobin cuckoo. Every pied cuckoo population belongs to the family Cuculidae and the genus Clamator.

How does a Jacobin cuckoo drink water?

The way a Jacobin cuckoo bird drinks water is unusual, to say the least. Unlike most birds, this species solely relies upon collecting drops of rainwater off leaves or catching rainwater directly from the sky when it rains (especially during the monsoon season)! When it rains, a Jacobin cuckoo bird uses its beak to catch rainwater in flight.

The cuckoo's call

Have you ever heard the cuckoo's call? The sound of their call is so melodic and soothing and the call of the cuckoo bird is one that many people have heard, but often they are not sure where it came from. The cuckoo call is also the reason for the bird's name: cuckoo.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our sea eagle facts and white gyrfalcon facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable jacobin cuckoo coloring pages.

Jacobin Cuckoo Facts

What Did They Prey On?

Hairy caterpillars, grasshoppers, bugs, fruits, snails, and other small insects

What Type of Animal were they?

Omnivore

Average Litter Size?

1-2

How Much Did They Weigh?

0.1 lb (65-75 g)

What habitat Do they Live In?

rainforests, tropical forests, and wetlands

Where Do They Live?

southern africa, south india, and sri lanka

How Long Were They?

23-25 in (60-65 cm)

How Tall Were They?

N/A

Class

Aves

Genus

Clamator

Family

Cuculidae

Scientific Name

Clamator jacobinus

What Do They Look Like?

Black and white

Skin Type

Feathers

What Are Their Main Threats?

sparrowhawk, and other hawks

What is their Conservation Status?

Least Concern
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Written by Iram Ashfaq

Bachelor of Dental Surgery, Master of Public Health

Iram Ashfaq picture

Iram AshfaqBachelor of Dental Surgery, Master of Public Health

With a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery from Shaney Institute of Health Sciences and a Master's degree in Public Health from Imperial College London, Iram is a highly qualified and accomplished writer from Srinagar, India. Over the course of a year, she has acquired multiple writing certifications, focusing on health sciences and research studies. Prior to joining Kidadl, Iram gained valuable experience working as a content writer for Indian firms and interning at a New York-based company. Her expertise and passion for writing shine through in her ability to create compelling content across a variety of topics.

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