Burchell's coucal
Burchell's coucal | |
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Nominate subspecies in Kruger Park | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Cuculiformes
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Family: | Cuculidae |
Genus: | Centropus |
Species: | C. burchellii
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Binomial name | |
Centropus burchellii Swainson, 1838
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Burchell's coucal (Centropus burchellii) is a species of
Subspecies
Two subspecies are recognized:[2]
- Centropus burchellii burchellii — southeastern Botswana, Eswatini, western Lesotho,[3] southern Mozambique and South Africa (all nine provinces, though excluding the dry interior)
- Centropus burchellii fasciipygialis — northwards of the Limpopo River: southeastern Zimbabwe, central and northern Mozambique, southern Malawi (southwards of Viphya Plateau)[4] and southeastern Tanzania (including Mafia Island)[5]
C. b. fasciipygialis has starker plumage colours, the head being solid black and the underparts whiter, besides less streaking caused by contrasting feather shafts. In adults the barred rump and tail covert feathers distinguishes it from the white-browed coucal.
Habits
This common resident of southern Africa is usually seen as a solitary individual or in pairs. They prefer clambering through thickets in bushveld, marshes, riparian fringes or coastal bush. It is more often heard than it is seen. When it does fly, the flight is ponderous and ends with a long glide to the next thicket.
Voice
This bird has a distinctive call, which resembles water pouring from a bottle, and various other calls such as the "dove" call and an alarm hiss. The birds are most vocal in the breeding season, and a couple may call in duet, or several birds may call in concert.[6]
Nesting
Between September and February (austral summer) a large matted nest is normally made in a thorn tree. Usually four white eggs are laid,[1] and these hatch out after 14 to 18 days. Both parents feed the nestlings for another three weeks.[7]
Food
Burchell's coucal is predatory, stalking through thick bush and eating insects (including Orthoptera), snails, amphibians (frogs and toads), reptiles (including lizards and chameleons) and birds up to the size of a laughing dove.[7] Nests of other birds are often raided.
Gallery
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Finely barred rump and tail coverts, combined with unmarked underpart plumage, are field marks of adult birds
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Individual with creamy-white supercilium and heavily streaked nape
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Sunning and preening with exposed uropygial gland
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A pair inlowveldwoodland in the Kruger Park
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Navigating bulrush in an upland marsh
References
- ^ ISBN 0620175834.
- ISBN 978-1-920602-00-0.
- ISBN 0-86980-881-8.
- ISBN 99908-31-009.
- ISBN 9780856610790.
- ISBN 978-1-4081-4267-7.
- ^ a b "Centropus burchellii (Burchell's coucal)". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 13 December 2015.