coucal bird

7/31/2019 Coucal Bird

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A coucal is one of about 30speciesofbirdsin the cuckoofamily. All of them belong in the

subfamily Centropodinaeand the genusCentropus. Unlike manyOld World cuckoos, coucals are

notbrood parasites. On the other hand they do have their own reproductive peculiarity: all

members of the genus are to varying degrees sex-role reversed so that the smaller male provides

most of the parental care. At least one coucal species, theBlack Coucal, is polyandrous. Some

species (Centropus phasianinus) have the male investing more in incubation and parental

care. Recent DNA evidence suggests that they should be raised to family status,

asCentropodidae.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckoohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyandroushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyandroushttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birdhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckoohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_(biology)http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Worldhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasitehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polyandrous


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Description

Many coucals have a long claw on their hind toe (hallux). The genus name from Greekkentron, a

spike andpous for foot describe this hallux claw. The feet have minute spurs and this is responsible

for the German term for coucals Sporenkuckucke. The common name is perhaps derived from the

Frenchcoucou and alouette (for the long lark like claw). (Cuvier, in Newton 1896) The length of theclaw can be about 68-76% of the tarsus length in the African Black CoucalC. grilliiand Lesser

Coucal C. bengalensis. Only the Short-toed Coucal C. rectunguis is an exception with the hallux

claw of only 23% of the tarsus length. Thread like feather structures (elongated sheaths of the

growing feathers that are sometimes termed trichoptiles) are found on the head and neck of

hatchlings and can be as long as 20mm. Nestlings can look spiny. Many are opportunistic

predators, Centropus phasianusis known to attack birds caught in mist nets while White-browed

Coucals Centropus superciliosus are attracted to smoke from grass fires where they forage for

insects and small mammals escaping from the fire. Coucals generally make nests inside dense

vegetation and they usually have the top covered but some species have the top open. Pheasant

Coucal Centropus phasianinus, Greater Coucal C. sinensis and Madagascar CoucalC.

toulou sometimes build an open nest while some species always build open nests (the BayCoucal C. celebensis) Some coucal species have been seen to fly while carrying their young.

Species

Andaman Coucal or Brown Coucal, Centropus andamanensis

Gabon Coucal, Centropus anselli

White-necked Coucal or Pied Coucal, Centropus ateralbus

Lesser Coucal, Centropus bengalensis

Burchell's Coucal,Centropus burchelli

Black-billed Coucal or Lesser Black Coucal, Centropus bernsteini

Green-billed Coucal, Centropus chlororhynchos

Bay Coucal, Centropus celebensis

Biak Coucal,Centropus chalybeus

Centropus colossus (Extinct, known from the quaternary Green Waterhole

Cave,Tantanoola, South Australia)

Coppery-tailed Coucal, Centropus cupreicaudus

Goliath Coucal,Centropus goliath

Black Coucal,Centropus grillii

Black-throated Coucal,Centropus leucogaster

Black-faced Coucal,Centropus melanops

Ivory-billed Coucal or Greater Black Coucal, Centropus menbeki

Buff-headed Coucal, Centropus milo

Blue-headed Coucal, Centropus monachus

Sunda Coucal, Centropus nigrorufus

Pheasant Coucal, Centropus phasianinus

Timor Pheasant Coucal, Centropus phasianinus mui-extinct? (late 20th century?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabon_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabon_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-necked_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-necked_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell's_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell's_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell's_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biak_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biak_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biak_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Green_Waterhole_Cave&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Green_Waterhole_Cave&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantanoolahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppery-tailed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppery-tailed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-headed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-headed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-headed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-headed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheasant_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheasant_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extincthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extincthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andaman_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gabon_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-necked_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesser_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burchell's_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bay_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biak_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Green_Waterhole_Cave&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Green_Waterhole_Cave&action=edit&redlink=1http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tantanoolahttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coppery-tailed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goliath_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-throated_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-faced_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ivory-billed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buff-headed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue-headed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunda_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pheasant_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extinct


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Short-toed Coucal, Centropus rectunguis

Senegal Coucal,Centropus senegalensis

Greater Coucal,Centropus sinensis

Centropus parroti(?)

Kai Coucal,Centropus spilopterus

Black-hooded Coucal, Centropus steerii

White-browed Coucal, Centropus superciliosus

Malagasy Coucal or Madagascar Coucal, Centropus toulou

Assumption Island Coucal,Centropus toulou assumptionis - doubtfully

distinct;extinct(c.1920s)

Rufous Coucal,Centropus unirufus

Violaceous Coucal, Centropus violaceus

Philippine Coucal, Centropus viridis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-toed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-toed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-hooded_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-hooded_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-browed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-browed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malagasy_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malagasy_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extincthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extincthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violaceous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violaceous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-toed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greater_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kai_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-hooded_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White-browed_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malagasy_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extincthttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rufous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violaceous_Coucalhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philippine_Coucal

coucal bird

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