Crow pheasant
The Greater coucal (Centropus sinensis) is a large member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. They are weak fliers and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs, and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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InsectivoresAn insectivore is a carnivorous plant or animal that eats insects. An alternative term is entomophage, which also refers to the human practice of e...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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OviparousOviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
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MonogamyMonogamy is a form of relationship in which both the male and the female has only one partner. This pair may cohabitate in an area or territory for...
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Generally solitaryGenerally solitary animals are those animals that spend their time separately but will gather at foraging areas or sleep in the same location or sh...
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe head of the Greater coucal is black, upper mantle and underside are black glossed with purple. The back and wings are chestnut brown. There are no pale shaft streaks on the coverts. The eyes are ruby red. Juveniles are duller black with spots on the crown and there are whitish bars on the underside and tail. The males and the females are similar in plumage but females are slightly larger.
Greater coucals occur in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia. They don't migrate and can be found in mangroves, shrublands, grasslands near rivers, marshes, or creeks. They also frequently visit cultivated areas and rural gardens.
Greater coucals are most active in the warm hours of the morning and in the late afternoon. They sunbathe in the mornings singly or in pairs on the top of vegetation with their wings spread out. They communicate with each other using various calls. The common calls are a booming low 'coop-coop-coops' repeated and with variations and some duets between individuals. When duetting the female has a lower pitched call. Other calls include a rapid rattling 'lotok, lotok ...' and a harsh scolding 'skeeaaaw' and a hissing threat call.
Greater coucals are carnivores (insectivores). These large birds take a wide range of insects, caterpillars, snails, and small vertebrates such as the Saw-scaled vipers. They are also known to eat bird eggs, nestlings, fruits, and seeds.
Greater coucals are monogamous and form pairs. Their breeding season takes place after the monsoon in southern India but varies in other parts of their range but chiefly from June to September. Courtship display involves chases on the ground and the male brings food gifts for the female. The nest is built mostly by the male over about 3 to 8 days. It is a deep cup with a dome in dense vegetation inside tangles of creepers or bamboo clumps. The female lays a clutch of 3-5 eggs that hatch after 15-16 days of incubation. The chicks hatch altricial (helpless) and take between 18 and 22 days to fledge.
This species is not endangered at present, however, in some parts of its range populations of the Greater coucal suffer from habitat loss.
There is no overall population estimate available for the Greater coucal. However, national population sizes include around 100-10,000 breeding pairs and around 50-1,000 individuals on migration in China, and around 100-10,000 breeding pairs in Taiwan. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern (LC) on the IUCN Red List and its numbers today are stable.
