White-browed coucal

Centropus superciliosus

The White-browed coucal (Centropus superciliosus) is a bird found in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Tall grass and bush across eastern and southern Africa. It eats insects and other small invertebrates, small mammals and birds and reptiles and frogs. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

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Scientific name	Centropus superciliosus
Region	Africa
Found in	South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda

🏡 Where the White-browed coucal lives

Tall grass and bush across eastern and southern Africa.

🍽️ What it eats

🐛 Insects & bugs50%
🐭 Mammals & birds30%
🦎 Reptiles & frogs20%

A rough guide to its diet over a year. Source: EltonTraits (Wilman et al. 2014).

Conservation status

LCNTVUENCREWEX

Least ConcernThere are plenty of these birds.

💡 It calls with a bubbling sound that is often heard before rain.

Hear the White-browed coucal

Recorded by Mischa Keijmel (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0), xeno-canto XC1141642. Trimmed to a few seconds.

Questions about the White-browed coucal

Where does the White-browed coucal live?

The White-browed coucal lives in South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Tall grass and bush across eastern and southern Africa.

What does the White-browed coucal eat?

insects and other small invertebrates (about 50%), small mammals and birds (about 30%), reptiles and frogs (about 20%). These are rough shares of its diet over a year, from the EltonTraits database.

Is the White-browed coucal endangered?

There are plenty of these birds. Its IUCN Red List category is Least Concern.

More birds from Africa

Sources: IUCN Red List (via Wikidata), EltonTraits 1.0 (Wilman et al. 2014), GBIF sightings for countries, Wikipedia. Last updated 2026-10-19.