Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis) lives in jungle to cultivation and urban gardens across Asia, India, Pakistan, south China, Nepal, Indonesia. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Greater Coucal
- A breeding pair stakes out a home range that can stretch from a modest 0.9 ha to a sprawling 7.2 ha, averaging 3.8 ha in southern India. Within this patch they construct a domed cup nest high up to 6 m in tangled creepers or bamboo, a task the male handles for three to eight days.
- Greater coucals lay three to five chalky white eggs, each 36-28 mm long and weighing 14.8 g. After a 15-16-day incubation, 77 % of the eggs hatch, and 67 % of those chicks survive to fledge after 18-22 days. These high success rates reflect intensive biparental care: the female broods while the male supplies food, a teamwork that maximises fledgling output in a season that runs from June to September.
- A versatile predator, the greater coucal devours insects, snails, bird eggs and even venomous saw-scaled vipers, while also feasting on toxic yellow oleander fruit. In oil-palm plantations it becomes a pest, stripping the fleshy mesocarp from ripe fruits and cutting oil yields. This dietary breadth lets the bird thrive across habitats, but its appetite for crops can clash with human agriculture.
- Despite facing predation and habitat loss, the greater coucal remains abundant, classified as Least Concern by the IUCN and showing a stable population trend. In the wild it lives about 4.9 years, a short span that underscores the importance of each breeding attempt. By preying on insects and dispersing seeds, it helps sustain both crop health and forest regeneration, acting as a hidden engine of ecosystem balance.
- At just under half a meter tall, the greater coucal measures 48 cm in length, making it one of the larger cuckoos. Females outweigh males, tipping the scales at 275-380 g compared with 208-270 g for males.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeAsia, India, Pakistan, south China, Nepal, Indonesia
HabitatJungle to cultivation and urban gardens
DietInsects and fruit
About the Greater Coucal
In the dense, vibrant undergrowth of tropical forests, the Greater Coucal moves with deliberate stealth, its long, black tail feathers swooping behind it like a dark banner as it stalks its prey. With each step, the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs betray the presence of this masterful hunter, its sharp, inquisitive eyes scanning the surroundings for the slightest hint of movement. As it glides through the shadows, its rich, chestnut-brown plumage seems to absorb the dappled light, rendering it all but invisible, a phantom presence that commands the respect of its domain.
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