Goliath Coucal Centropus goliath Scientific name definitions

62–70 cm. Adult black  , with bluish wings and tail , white patch on greater wing-coverts ; on Halmahera, also a whitish morph, with buffish on head, and occasional pied individuals; iris dark brown, bill  black, feet black. Juvenile black above, wing-coverts with white patch, head , neck and underparts chestnut with whitish diamond-shaped streaks, belly blackish (no known pale morph juveniles).

N Moluccas, on Morotai, Halmahera, Tidore, Kasiruta (1 Erritzøe, J., C. F. Mann, F. P. Brammer, and R. A. Fuller (2012). Cuckoos of the World. Christopher Helm, London, UK. Close , 2 BirdLife International (2013). IUCN Red List for birds. URL: http://www.birdlife.org (download Aug 2013). Close , 3 Payne, R. B. (2005). The Cuckoos. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK and New York, NY, USA. Close ), Bacan and Obi. Not seen recently on Ternate, where probably extirpated (3 Payne, R. B. (2005). The Cuckoos. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK and New York, NY, USA. Close ).

Forested areas of all types, including larger patches of scrub at edge of agricultural land on Halmahera; primary and logged forest to 250 m on Bacan.

No information on diet. Feeds in lower forest subcanopy to 12 m, as well as in understorey.

Not globally threatened. Common and conspicuous on Halmahera , but not recorded recently on smaller islands of Obi and Ternate.