(burchell's coucal included) |
(Picture of 'puffed up' bird. Text spread to allow for extra photo. References) |
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'''Includes: Burchell's Coucal''' | '''Includes: Burchell's Coucal''' | ||
==Identification== | ==Identification== | ||
| − | This is a large bird (about 16", 410mm in length) with very striking plumage including its distinctive broad, yellowish-white supercilliary stripe | + | This is a large bird (about 16", 410mm in length) with very striking plumage including its distinctive broad, yellowish-white supercilliary stripe. <br /> |
''burchelli'' is missing the white superciliary stripe | ''burchelli'' is missing the white superciliary stripe | ||
| + | [[Image:White-browed_Coucal.jpg|thumb|350px|right|juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|juninho|juninho}}<br />Maasai Mara NP, [[Kenya]] ]] | ||
==Distribution== | ==Distribution== | ||
| − | Central, southern and eastern [[Africa]] and the [[Arabian Peninsula]]. | + | Central, southern and eastern [[Africa]] and the [[Arabian Peninsula]].<br /> |
| + | '''Western Africa''': [[Gabon]], [[DRC]] and [[Angola]]<br /> | ||
| + | '''Eastern Africa''': [[Sudan]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ethiopia]], [[Djibouti]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], [[Uganda]], [[Rwanda]], [[Burundi]], [[Tanzania]], [[Zanzibar]], Pemba Island, Mafia Island, [[Zambia]], [[Mozambique]] and [[Malawi]]<br /> | ||
| + | '''Southern Africa''': [[Namibia]], [[Botswana]], [[Zimbabwe]], [[Lesotho]]<br /> | ||
| + | '''Middle East''': [[Arabian Peninsula]], [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Yemen]], [[Socotra]] | ||
==Taxonomy== | ==Taxonomy== | ||
| − | + | ''Centropus superciliosus'' has four subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>: | |
| − | ''Centropus superciliosus'' has four subspecies: | + | *''C. s. superciliosus'': |
| − | *''C. s. superciliosus'' from east [[Sudan]] to [[Ethiopia]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], northeast [[Uganda]] and northeast [[Tanzania]] | + | :* from east [[Sudan]] to [[Ethiopia]], [[Somalia]], [[Kenya]], northeast [[Uganda]] and northeast [[Tanzania]] |
| − | *''C. s. sokotrae'' on [[Socotra]] and in southwest [[Arabia]] | + | [[Image:12368Burchells_Coucal_rudydbn_IllovoGlen.jpg|thumb|350px|right|''burchellii''<br />Photo by {{user|rudydbn|rudydbn}} <br />Illovo Glen, [[KwaZulu-Natal]], [[South Africa]] ]] |
| − | *''C. s. loandae'' from [[Uganda]] and southwest [[Kenya]] to northern [[Zimbabwe]], [[Zambia]], [[Botswana]] and [[Angola]] | + | *''C. s. sokotrae'': |
| − | *''C. s. burchellii'' from east [[Botswana]] to southern [[Zimbabwe]], [[Mozambique]] and [[South Africa]] | + | :*on [[Socotra]] and in southwest [[Arabia]] |
| − | burchellii is sometimes accepted as full species, '''Burchell's Coucal'''. | + | *''C. s. loandae'': |
| + | :*from [[Uganda]] and southwest [[Kenya]] to northern [[Zimbabwe]], [[Zambia]], [[Botswana]] and [[Angola]] | ||
| + | *''C. s. burchellii'': | ||
| + | :*from east [[Botswana]] to southern [[Zimbabwe]], [[Mozambique]] and [[South Africa]] | ||
| + | ''C. burchellii'' is sometimes accepted as full species, '''Burchell's Coucal'''. | ||
==Habitat== | ==Habitat== | ||
Riverine bush and wetlands. | Riverine bush and wetlands. | ||
==Behaviour== | ==Behaviour== | ||
| + | [[Image:White-browed Coucal puffed up 8754.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Puffed up behaviour<br />Photo by {{user|rdavis|rdavis}}<br />Near Xigera Camp, central Okavango Delta, [[Botswana]], November 2011]] | ||
| + | It can be difficult to see due to its habit of skulking in shrubbery, undergrowth and dense waterside vegetation. | ||
| + | ====Breeding==== | ||
As with other Coucals, the White-browed Coucal is non-parasitic. The males construct a nest, they then incubate the eggs and provide most of the feeding and care for the young. | As with other Coucals, the White-browed Coucal is non-parasitic. The males construct a nest, they then incubate the eggs and provide most of the feeding and care for the young. | ||
| − | + | ====Diet==== | |
It has a wide diet consisting mostly of insects, but it will also take young birds and eggs. While it will feed on the ground it is easily disturbed, returning to cover in a clumsy, awkward fashion. These birds are not elegant fliers! | It has a wide diet consisting mostly of insects, but it will also take young birds and eggs. While it will feed on the ground it is easily disturbed, returning to cover in a clumsy, awkward fashion. These birds are not elegant fliers! | ||
| − | + | ====Vocalisation==== | |
They have a very distinctive song which consists of a series of "gurgling" notes which resemble the sound of water being poured from a bottle and gives them their local Kenyan name of "The Water Bottle Bird". | They have a very distinctive song which consists of a series of "gurgling" notes which resemble the sound of water being poured from a bottle and gives them their local Kenyan name of "The Water Bottle Bird". | ||
| + | ==References== | ||
| + | #{{Ref-Clements6thAug11}} | ||
| + | {{ref}} | ||
==External Links== | ==External Links== | ||
{{GSearch|Centropus+superciliosus}} | {{GSearch|Centropus+superciliosus}} | ||
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Centropus]] | [[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Centropus]] | ||
Revision as of 20:32, 20 April 2012
- Centropus superciliosus
Includes: Burchell's Coucal
Identification
This is a large bird (about 16", 410mm in length) with very striking plumage including its distinctive broad, yellowish-white supercilliary stripe.
burchelli is missing the white superciliary stripe
Distribution
Central, southern and eastern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula.
Western Africa: Gabon, DRC and Angola
Eastern Africa: Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania, Zanzibar, Pemba Island, Mafia Island, Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi
Southern Africa: Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Lesotho
Middle East: Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Socotra
Taxonomy
Centropus superciliosus has four subspecies[1]:
- C. s. superciliosus:
- C. s. sokotrae:
- C. s. loandae:
- C. s. burchellii:
- from east Botswana to southern Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa
C. burchellii is sometimes accepted as full species, Burchell's Coucal.
Habitat
Riverine bush and wetlands.
Behaviour
It can be difficult to see due to its habit of skulking in shrubbery, undergrowth and dense waterside vegetation.
Breeding
As with other Coucals, the White-browed Coucal is non-parasitic. The males construct a nest, they then incubate the eggs and provide most of the feeding and care for the young.
Diet
It has a wide diet consisting mostly of insects, but it will also take young birds and eggs. While it will feed on the ground it is easily disturbed, returning to cover in a clumsy, awkward fashion. These birds are not elegant fliers!
Vocalisation
They have a very distinctive song which consists of a series of "gurgling" notes which resemble the sound of water being poured from a bottle and gives them their local Kenyan name of "The Water Bottle Bird".
References
- Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) White-browed Coucal. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 24 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-browed_Coucal
