Cuckoo Levaillant’s (Clamator levaillantii) juvenile fed by Arrow-marked Babbler – Kruger NP South Africa

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Cuckoo Levaillant’s (Clamator levaillantii) juvenile fed by Arrow-marked Babbler – Kruger NP South Africa

Kruger19 International Challenge

It was just before sunrise at the Olifants Camp gate that I spotted the silhouette of the two birds but could not distinguish them.  I took the photo at a massive ISO 26,00 (normally ISO400 or less) so quite remarkable to get the image I achieved. Only until I processed the picture did I realise it was an Arrow-marked Babbler feeding a Levaillant’s Cuckoo.  It is always surprising that the smaller host Babbler (24cm) even Warblers continue to believe that its Cuckoo chick (up to 38cm) is a Babbler.  What baffles me is that when the Cuckoo matures it sounds like a cuckoo rather than learning the call of its surrogate mother unlike homo sapiens?

  • Species:Levaillant's Cuckoo (Clamator levaillantii)
  • Bird Type:Juvenile fed by Arrow-marked Babbler
  • FamilyCuckoos (Cuculidae)
  • Date Taken20190213
  • Location:Olifants
  • Area:Kruger Limpopo Prov.
  • Country:South Africa
  • Region:All Africa South of Sahara
Photo File Ref: BOA22606e Cuckoo Levaillant's (fed by Arrow-marked Babbler) 3 Oilfants Kruger NP South Africa Feb19 PH4_8502
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