The Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius parasitises mainly weavers but also a wide variety of other species, including sparrows and wagtails. Two other cuckoos have also been recorded as parasitisng weavers.
Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus
There is one other brood parasite, the Emerald Cuckoo, which parasitises the Sao Tome Weaver Ploceus sanctithomae (also a few records on Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht in Kenya). This cuckoo is a forest species and usually parasitises bulbuls, warblers (cup nests) and sunbirds (enclosed nests).
Klaas’ Cuckoo Chrysococcyx klaasi
There are many historic records of Klaas’ Cuckoo parasitising weavers – a few may be valid, but most records are errors for the Diederik Cuckoo.
Of the 59 species reported by Friedmann as hosts, 40% species are sunbirds (enclosed nests), 42% are warblers, flycatchers, and thrushes (cup nests), and 13% are weavers (although the latter are probably mis-identifications of the cuckoo).
Diederik Cuckoo Chrysococcyx caprius
The Diederik Cuckoo occurs through much of sub-Saharan Africa and the south part of the Arabian peninsula, but does not occur in deserts and forest. Generally, hosts are weavers that have small to medium-sized colonies in trees, but nest sites of Eastern Golden Weaver are either in trees or reeds, and Southern Red Bishop nests are in reeds.
The host species vary by region, with some of the key hosts as follows:
West Africa – Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus, Black-necked Weaver Ploceus nigricollis (common host Nigeria), Heuglin’s Masked Weaver Ploceus heuglini (common host Mali), also Little Weaver Ploceus luteolus and Slender-billed Weaver Ploceus pelzelni.
West central Africa – Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus (esp Angola), Vieillot’s Black Weaver Ploceus nigerrimus (common host Zaire, Cameroon), possibly Black-headed Weaver Ploceus melanocephalus.
East Africa – the most important are Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus and Baglafecht Weaver Ploceus baglafecht. Also many other species, including Chestnut Weaver Ploceus rubiginosus, Speke’s Weaver Ploceus spekei, Golden-backed Weaver Ploceus jacksoni and Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius.
East African coast – Eastern Golden Weaver Ploceus subaureus.
Central eastern Africa (miombo/savanna belt, Angola to Malawi) – Red-headed Weaver Anaplectes rubriceps, Holub’s Golden Weaver Ploceus xanthops and Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius.
Southern Africa – Southern Masked Weaver Ploceus velatus, Southern Red Bishop Euplectes orix and Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus. These seem to be the main hosts in most parts of southern Africa but some known differences are (main host per area):
- NE parts like Kruger NP – Lesser Masked Weaver Ploceus intermedius;
- Eastern Cape – Cape Wagtail Motacilla capensis;
- Western Cape – possibly Cape Sparrow Passer melanurus (but breeding by the cuckoo seems rare here).
