Wildlifeof Nepal
Greater Coucal
Cuckoos & Coucals
Photo: (c) sam-rajnikant, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY
Centropus sinensis
Basic stats
Diet
Insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds; also fruit and seeds
Habitat
Jungle, cultivation and urban gardens
Range
Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia
Clutch size
3–5 eggs
Size
48cm
The greater coucal, or crow pheasant, is a large, crow-like member of the cuckoo order, about 48cm long with a long tail. The head, upper mantle and underside are black glossed with purple, the back and wings chestnut-brown, and the eyes ruby red. Juveniles are duller, with spots on the crown and whitish bars below (Wikipedia, general species account).
Unlike most cuckoos it is not a brood parasite. It is a weak flier, often clambering through vegetation or walking on the ground as it forages for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds, and it also eats fruit and seeds. It lives in habitats from jungle to farmland and town gardens, and its deep, resonant call is linked with omens in many parts of its range. Clutches are three to five eggs and chicks fledge in 18 to 22 days.
Quick answers
- What does the Greater Coucal eat?
- Insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds; also fruit and seeds
- What habitat does the Greater Coucal live in?
- Jungle, cultivation and urban gardens
- Where is the Greater Coucal found?
- Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia
- How many eggs does the Greater Coucal lay?
- 3–5 eggs
- How big is the Greater Coucal?
- 48cm