- Centropus anselli
Identification
46 - 58cm.
- Purplish-glossed black upperparts and head, buff lower back barred black
- Blackish bronze tail
- Rufous wings with darker tips
- Rich tawny underparts
- Red eye
- Black bill
Sexes alike but females larger. Juveniles are dark brown above, their head has pale shaft streaks, the forehead is buff, the wings black-barred rufous, the tail black barred buff, the underparts rufous-buff and finely barred black, the centre of belly unbarred buffy.
Distribution
Western and central Africa: found in Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Congo, Democratic Republic of Congo and northwestern Angola.
Fairly common to common.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Probably allospecies with Black-throated Coucal and subspecies neumanni of the latter may be more closely related with this species.
Habitat
Forests, second growth, swampy forests, grassy swamps, old cultivations.
Behaviour
A shy and difficult to observe species.
Diet
Omnivorous, feeds on insects, molluscs, frogs, small snakes, small birds.
Forages on or near the ground, scavenges around villages and camps.
Breeding
Breeding season December to February in Gabon, young birds observed in November in Uelle, March in Angola. No information on nest or eggs.
Movements
This is a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Gabon Coucal. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 25 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Gabon_Coucal
