Coppery-tailed Coucal
Centropus cupreicaudus
The Coppery-tailed Coucal (Centropus cupreicaudus) is a rare cuckoo found in 8 countries, weighing about 285 g. The coppery-tailed coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.
About the Coppery-tailed Coucal
The coppery-tailed coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. It was first described by the German ornithologist Anton Reichenow in 1896.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
An adult coppery-tailed coucal is about 48 cm (19 in) long and has a curved beak and long, broad tail. Males are slightly smaller than females. The coppery-tailed coucal's plumage is similar to that of the Senegal coucal (Centropus senegalensis). It has a black head and upperparts, white or cream-coloured underparts, a brown rump with a coppery-sheen and a blackish-brown tail. Immature birds have pale streaks on the head and their flight feathers are barred. The call of the coppery-tailed coucal consists of deep, bubbling notes.
Where it lives
When to see it
The Coppery-tailed Coucal can be seen all year round, with peak activity in November. It is a resident species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Coppery-tailed Coucal?
- An adult coppery-tailed coucal is about 48 cm (19 in) long and has a curved beak and long, broad tail. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Coppery-tailed Coucal?
- The Coppery-tailed Coucal is a medium sized bird weighing about 285 g.
- Where can you see a Coppery-tailed Coucal?
- The Coppery-tailed Coucal occurs in 8 countries, including Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, Angola and Tanzania.
- What birds look similar to a Coppery-tailed Coucal?
- The Coppery-tailed Coucal is most easily confused with the Blue-headed Coucal, the Malagasy Coucal and the Andaman Coucal.
- Is the Coppery-tailed Coucal endangered?
- The Coppery-tailed Coucal is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Coppery-tailed Coucal for real
BeakBrain drills you on photos and calls until you can greet this bird by name in the field. Free to play, on any device.
Play BeakBrainEvery photo and recording on this page is credited to its author under the licence shown. Spotted a problem with this page, or have a better photo? Contribute.