Cuckoo Red-Chested (Cuculus solitarius) – Kenya

Full Size

A bird often heard but seldom seen, it calls a monotonous “Piet-my-vrou” (Afrikaans for Peter my wife”).   Note the swollen throat as it makes it’s distinctive sound.

This was the first time in 60 years of looking that I spotted the bird and well enough to photograph.

The Red-Chested Cuckoo often features in Wilbur Smith’s African books of adventure.