Coua
Encyclopedia
Couas are large, mostly terrestrial
birds of the cuckoo
family, endemic to the island of Madagascar
. Coua derives from koa, the Malagasy
name for a cuckoo or coua, which is in turn an onomatopoeic of some species' call notes.
Reminiscent of African Turaco
s when walking along tree branches, they likewise feature brightly coloured bare skin around the eyes. Some resemble Coucal
s in their habit of clambering through plant tangles while foraging, while the arboreal species move between tree canopies with gliding flight. Four species occur(red) in rainforests
while the remaining six are found in the dry forests of western
and southern Madagascar
.
They have large feet, with a reversible third toe like all cuckoos. Their long tibia
suggest a relationship with the Carpococcyx
Ground-Cuckoos of Asia, a genus with similar nestlings. Consequently they are sometimes united in the subfamily Couinae. Couas build their own nests and lay white eggs. Couas' calls are short series of evenly spaced notes, which are sometimes answered by other individuals.
Terrestrial animal
Terrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land , as compared with aquatic animals, which live predominantly or entirely in the water , or amphibians, which rely on a combination of aquatic and terrestrial habitats...
birds of the cuckoo
Cuckoo
The cuckoos are a family, Cuculidae, of near passerine birds. The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos . Some zoologists and taxonomists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, but its taxonomy remains in dispute...
family, endemic to the island of Madagascar
Madagascar
The Republic of Madagascar is an island country located in the Indian Ocean off the southeastern coast of Africa...
. Coua derives from koa, the Malagasy
Malagasy language
Malagasy is the national language of Madagascar, a member of the Austronesian family of languages. Most people in Madagascar speak it as a first language as do some people of Malagasy descent elsewhere.-History:...
name for a cuckoo or coua, which is in turn an onomatopoeic of some species' call notes.
Reminiscent of African Turaco
Turaco
The turacos make up the bird family Musophagidae , which includes plantain-eaters and go-away-birds. In southern Africa both turacos and go-away-birds are commonly known as louries. They are semi-zygodactylous - the fourth toe can be switched back and forth...
s when walking along tree branches, they likewise feature brightly coloured bare skin around the eyes. Some resemble Coucal
Coucal
A coucal is one of about 30 species of birds in the cuckoo family. All of them belong in the subfamily Centropodinae and the genus Centropus. Unlike many Old World cuckoos, coucals are not brood parasites...
s in their habit of clambering through plant tangles while foraging, while the arboreal species move between tree canopies with gliding flight. Four species occur(red) in rainforests
Madagascar lowland forests
The Madagascar lowland forests are a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion, found on the eastern coast of the island of Madagascar.-Setting:...
while the remaining six are found in the dry forests of western
Madagascar dry deciduous forests
The Madagascar dry deciduous forests represent a tropical dry forest ecoregion generally situated in the western part of Madagascar. The area has high numbers of endemic plant and animal species but has suffered large-scale clearance for agriculture...
and southern Madagascar
Madagascar spiny thickets
The Madagascar spiny thickets is an ecoregion in Madagascar. The vegetation type is found on poor substrates with low, erratic winter rainfall. An estimated 14,000 to is covered with this habitat, all in the southwest of the country...
.
They have large feet, with a reversible third toe like all cuckoos. Their long tibia
Tibia
The tibia , shinbone, or shankbone is the larger and stronger of the two bones in the leg below the knee in vertebrates , and connects the knee with the ankle bones....
suggest a relationship with the Carpococcyx
Carpococcyx
Carpococcyx is a genus of large terrestrial cuckoos in the Cuculidae family. They are restriced to humid forested regions in Southeast Asia...
Ground-Cuckoos of Asia, a genus with similar nestlings. Consequently they are sometimes united in the subfamily Couinae. Couas build their own nests and lay white eggs. Couas' calls are short series of evenly spaced notes, which are sometimes answered by other individuals.
Systematics
- Ancient Coua, Coua primaeva – prehistoricLate Quaternary prehistoric birdsPrehistoric birds are various taxa of birds that became extinct before recorded history, or more precisely, before they could be studied alive by bird scientists...
- Bertha's Coua, Coua berthae – prehistoricLate Quaternary prehistoric birdsPrehistoric birds are various taxa of birds that became extinct before recorded history, or more precisely, before they could be studied alive by bird scientists...
- Running CouaRunning CouaThe Running Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Coua cursor - Giant CouaGiant CouaThe Giant Coua is a bird species from the Cuckoo family that is endemic to the dry forests of western and southern Madagascar. It is suggested that Couas probably originated from a particular Asian ground-cuckoo . Genus Coua contains 10 species, more than any other genus in Madagascar...
, Coua gigas - Delalande's CouaDelalande's CouaDelalande's Coua , also known as Snail-eating Coua and Delalande's Coucal, is an extinct species of non-parasitic cuckoo from Madagascar. It only was known to science as an extant bird for a very short time in the early 19th century...
, Coua delalandei – extinct (late 19th century) - Coquerel's CouaCoquerel's CouaThe Coquerel's Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry forests.-References:...
, Coua coquereli - Red-breasted CouaRed-breasted CouaThe Red-breasted Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Coua serriana - Red-fronted CouaRed-fronted CouaThe Red-fronted Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Coua reynaudii - Red-capped CouaRed-capped CouaThe Red-capped Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Coua ruficeps - Crested CouaCrested CouaThe Crested Coua, Coua cristata, is a medium-sized, approximately 44cm long, greenish-grey coua with grey crest, blue bare orbital skin, rufous breast, brown iris, black bill and legs, white belly and long white-tipped purplish-blue tail feathers. They are very attractive birds.The Crested Coua is...
, Coua cristata- Coua cristata maxima – only known from a single specimenSpecimenA specimen is a portion/quantity of material for use in testing, examination, or study.BiologyA laboratory specimen is an individual animal, part of an animal, a plant, part of a plant, or a microorganism, used as a representative to study the properties of the whole population of that species or...
; possibly extinct (late 20th century) or a hybrid.
- Coua cristata maxima – only known from a single specimen
- Verreaux's CouaVerreaux's CouaVerreaux's Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its name commemorates French ornithologist and collector Jules Verreaux.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland....
, Coua verreauxi - Blue CouaBlue CouaThe Blue Coua is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Madagascar.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.The bird is a...
, Coua caerulea