Alternative name: Running Coucal
- Coua cursor
Identification
34 - 40cm.
- Pale grey-green upperparts
- Blue skin around the eye with prominent pink patch to rear and black line around
- Grey tail
- Tawny-buff throat
- Light purplish breast
- Whitish belly with grey flanks
- Grey undertail
- Black bill and feet
Sexes alike. Juveniles are duller withouth black on face and with buff edged back, rump and wing-coverts.
Distribution
Endemic to southern and southwest Madagascar.
Generally uncommon in its small range.
Taxonomy
This is a monotypic species.
Habitat
Thorny scrubland, spiny desert and dry woodlands without ground covers. Occurs from sea-level up to 200m.
Replaces Coquerel's Coua in southwest Madagascar.
Behaviour
A terrestrial species.
Diet
Feeds on insects. Forages on the ground.
Breeding
Breeds in the rainy season. The nest is a bowl made of twigs and bark. It's placed around 2m above the ground in a bush. Lays 2 whitish eggs.
Movements
This is a resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. 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. (2025) Running Coua. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 4 May 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Running_Coua
