Greater Coucal Centropus sinensis Scientific name definitions

47–56 cm; male 208–270 g, female 275–380 g. Adult sinensis black, glossed blue to purplish, back and wings chestnut, long and broad black tail , black wing-linings; iris brown to red, bill black, feet black. Female slightly larger. Juvenile barred buff on head, wings black-barred rufous-brown, tail narrowly barred buff, underparts dark brown, barred dull white, with yellowish shaft streaks, iris grey to brown. Race <em>intermedius</em> smaller; <em>parroti</em> black-backed; <em>bubutus</em> larger, wings paler rufous; <em>anonymus</em> shorter-winged, wings darker brown; kangeanensis with head and body pale buff, tail grey (also a dark morph with throat grey, breast mottled grey).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Secondary forest , tall grassland, thickets, bamboo, scrub near cultivation, paddyfields, cover near streams and swamps, mangroves, gardens; widespread, except in dense primary forest. Lowlands, in hills to 1200 m, occasionally to 2100 m.

Resident. Occasionally disperses; one heard once on Serfung, Krakatau, in 1919, years after volcanic activity exterminated all landbirds. Flight slow and laboured, alternates flaps and glides.

Small mammals (mice, hedgehog), lizards, snakes, frogs; insects (caterpillars, grasshoppers, katydids, beetles, larvae of rhinoceros beetles); also centipedes, scorpions, spiders, crabs, snails, slugs, eggs and nestlings of small birds, fruits and seeds. Terrestrial and skulking, stalks, walks, hops and runs in pursuit of prey; creeps through shrubs and robs birds' nests; prowls on mud banks of rivers near water's edge.

Song a series of deep “hoop” notes, full song running down and up the scale, followed by more “hoop” notes; a “tok”, also a harsh scold, “skaaah”.

Breeds in rains: mainly Jun–Sept in N India, practically all year in Peninsular India and Sri Lanka (peak Mar–Apr, Sri Lanka), from Apr in Myanmar, nests with eggs Jan–May in Peninsular Malaysia. Monogamous, occurs in pairs. Nest a large globular ball of twigs and leaves, or coarse grass, with lateral entrance, concealed in thick bush or low in thorny tree or in rice fields. Eggs 2–4 (India), 2–3 (Sri Lanka), two (Malaysia), chalky white, stained by nest dirt; 36 mm × 28 mm (India), 34 mm × 29 mm (Sri Lanka), 38 mm × 30 mm (Java), 29 mm × 24 mm (N Borneo). Both sexes raise the young.

Not globally threatened (Least Concern). Common almost everywhere throughout its expansive range, and very common in some areas, notably in much of India and Thailand. On Borneo, nestling coucals are taken by man for purported medicinal purposes.