Family Cuckoos (Cuculidae)
Least Concern
Black-billed Coucal (Centropus bernsteini)
Taxonomy
French: Coucal de Bernstein German: Bernsteinkuckuck Spanish: Cucal de Bernstein
Other common names:
Lesser Black Coucal
Taxonomy:
Centropus Bernsteini
Schlegel
, 1866,New Guinea
.
Subspecies and Distribution
C. b. bernsteini
Schlegel, 1866 – W & C New Guinea E to Simbang and the Sattelberg.
C. b. manam
Mayr, 1937 – Manam I (off NE New Guinea).
Descriptive notes
46–52 cm; male 140 g, female 180 g. Adult black, glossed green above, iris dark brown, bill black. Juvenile barred rufous above, wings and tail narrowly barred buff to... read more
Voice
Three hoots, “woop woop woop”, on descending scale, sometimes in longer series; pairs... read more
Habitat
Scrub, tall cane grass, rank vegetation. Sea-level to 500 m, rarely to 900 m.
Food and feeding
Unknown.
Breeding
Nest a domed mass of cane grass, with side opening, placed in grass. Eggs 2, white; 32 x 26 mm.
Movements
Resident.
Status and conservation
Not globally threatened. This coucal is not uncommon in second growth and cane grass, but is shy and difficult to observe. Poorly known in all aspects; research required.
Appears to be part of a clade which includes also C. violaceus and C. phasianinus#R. Previously thought to be closest to C. chalybeus, C. phasianinus and C. spilopterus. Race manam sometimes considered invalid, but here retained until further evidence available. Two subspecies recognized.