Coucal
Encyclopedia
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Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of bird
Bird
Birds are feathered, winged, bipedal, endothermic , egg-laying, vertebrate animals. Around 10,000 living species and 188 families makes them the most speciose class of tetrapod vertebrates. They inhabit ecosystems across the globe, from the Arctic to the Antarctic. Extant birds range in size from...
s in 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
Family (biology)
In biological classification, family is* a taxonomic rank. Other well-known ranks are life, domain, kingdom, phylum, class, order, genus, and species, with family fitting between order and genus. As for the other well-known ranks, there is the option of an immediately lower rank, indicated by the...
. All of them belong in the subfamily Centropodinae and the genus Centropus. Unlike many Old World
Old World
The Old World consists of those parts of the world known to classical antiquity and the European Middle Ages. It is used in the context of, and contrast with, the "New World" ....
cuckoos, coucals are not brood parasite
Brood parasite
Brood parasites are organisms that use the strategy of brood parasitism, a kind of kleptoparasitism found among birds, fish or insects, involving the manipulation and use of host individuals either of the same or different species to raise the young of the brood-parasite...
s. 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, the Black Coucal
Black Coucal
The Black Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,...
, 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, as Centropodidae.
Description
Many coucals have a long claw on their hind toe (hallux). The genus name from Greek kentron, a spike and pous 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 French coucou and alouette (for the long lark like claw).(Cuvier, in Newton 1896) The length of the claw can be about 68-76% of the tarsus length in the African Black Coucal C. grillii and 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 phasianus is 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 Coucal C. toulou sometimes build an open nest while some species always build open nests (the Bay Coucal C. celebensis)
Some coucal species have been seen to fly while carrying their young.
Species
- Andaman Coucal or Brown Coucal, Centropus andamanensis
- Gabon CoucalGabon CoucalThe Gabon Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and Gabon.-References:...
, Centropus anselli - White-necked Coucal or Pied Coucal, Centropus ateralbus
- Lesser CoucalLesser CoucalThe Lesser Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tibet and Vietnam.-References:*...
, Centropus bengalensis - Burchell's Coucal, Centropus burchelli
- Black-billed Coucal or Lesser Black Coucal, Centropus bernsteini
- Green-billed CoucalGreen-billed CoucalThe Green-billed Coucal, Centropus chlororhynchos, is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis, and the Hoatzin....
, Centropus chlororhynchos - Bay CoucalBay CoucalThe Bay Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical moist montanes.-References:...
, Centropus celebensis - Biak CoucalBiak CoucalThe Biak Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to West Papua, Indonesia.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
, Centropus chalybeus - Centropus colossus (Extinct, known from the quaternary Green Waterhole Cave, Tantanoola, South Australia)
- Coppery-tailed CoucalCoppery-tailed CoucalThe Coppery-tailed Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.-References:...
, Centropus cupreicaudus - Goliath CoucalGoliath CoucalThe Goliath Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to Indonesia.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Centropus goliath - Black CoucalBlack CoucalThe Black Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,...
, Centropus grillii - Black-throated CoucalBlack-throated CoucalThe Black-throated Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is found in west Africain dense second growth along forest edge and grassy swamps. The subspecies found in northern and central Zaire is sometimes split as Neumann's Coucal,Centropus neumanni.-References:* BirdLife...
, Centropus leucogaster - Black-faced CoucalBlack-faced CoucalThe Black-faced Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.-References:...
, Centropus melanops - Ivory-billed Coucal or Greater Black Coucal, Centropus menbeki
- Buff-headed CoucalBuff-headed CoucalThe Buff-headed Coucal is a species of coucal. These are often placed in the cuckoo family but seem to warrant recognition as a distinct family. C. milo is a common endemic of the central islands of the Solomon Islands...
, Centropus milo - Blue-headed CoucalBlue-headed CoucalThe Blue-headed Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau,...
, Centropus monachus - Sunda CoucalSunda CoucalThe Sunda Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical mangrove forests, subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, and swamps....
, Centropus nigrorufus - Pheasant CoucalPheasant CoucalThe Pheasant Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea....
, Centropus phasianinus- Timor Pheasant Coucal, Centropus phasianinus mui - extinct? (late 20th century?)
- Short-toed CoucalShort-toed CoucalThe Short-toed Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand....
, Centropus rectunguis - Senegal CoucalSenegal CoucalThe Senegal Coucal, Centropus senegalensis, is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis, and the Hoatzin....
, Centropus senegalensis - Greater CoucalGreater CoucalThe Greater Coucal or Crow Pheasant is a large non-parasitic member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. A widespread resident in Asia, from India, east to south China and Indonesia, it is divided into several subspecies, some being treated as full species...
, Centropus sinensis- Centropus parroti (?)
- Kai CoucalKai CoucalThe Kai Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to Indonesia.-References:* BirdLife International 2009. . Downloaded on 5 Oct 2010....
, Centropus spilopterus - Black-hooded CoucalBlack-hooded CoucalThe Black-hooded Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family. It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
, Centropus steerii - White-browed CoucalWhite-browed CoucalThe White-browed Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is found in sub-Saharan Africa.The southern subspecies is sometimes split as Burchell's Coucal, Centropus burchelli...
, Centropus superciliosus - Malagasy Coucal or Madagascar Coucal, Centropus toulou
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- Assumption Island Coucal, Centropus toulou assumptionis - doubtfully distinct; extinct (c.1920s)
- Rufous CoucalRufous CoucalThe Rufous Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests.It is threatened by habitat loss.-Source:...
, Centropus unirufus - Violaceous CoucalViolaceous CoucalThe Violaceous Coucal or Violet Coucal is a cuckoo species in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to Papua New Guinea. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests....
, Centropus violaceus - Philippine CoucalPhilippine CoucalThe Philippine Coucal is a species of cuckoo in the Cuculidae family.It is endemic to the Philippines.-References:* BirdLife International 2004. . Downloaded on 24 July 2007....
, Centropus viridis