Crested Coua
Coua cristata
The Crested Coua (Coua cristata) is a rare cuckoo found only in Madagascar, weighing about 147 g. The crested coua is a common medium-sized bird member of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae.
About the Crested Coua
The crested coua is a common medium-sized bird member of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. It is endemic to Madagascar, mainly found in the coastal regions of the island. The crested coua is a weak flyer, so it will often be observed hopping from branch to branch in high canopies. It is distinguished mainly by its greenish-grey back, its prominent grey head crest, rufous-coloured breast, white abdomen and bright turquoise and blue patches of bare skin around the eyes.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
Voice: They are highly vocal birds and have several different calls that we can hear in the wild. The most commons are "laser gun calls", which are a series of piercing sounds, and doubled, wooden "touk-touk" sounds. It is also possible to hear calls such as "koa-koa-koa" and "guay-guay-guay-guay-gwuck". Its call can sometimes serve as an indicator of predator presence in the environment.
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: July, August, September, October, November, with peak activity in November. It is a variable species across most of its range.
Easily confused with
Quick questions
- How do you identify a Crested Coua?
- Voice: They are highly vocal birds and have several different calls that we can hear in the wild. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Crested Coua?
- The Crested Coua is a medium sized bird weighing about 147 g.
- Where can you see a Crested Coua?
- The Crested Coua is endemic to Madagascar, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Crested Coua?
- The Crested Coua is most easily confused with the Blue Coua, the Red-capped Coua and the Red-fronted Coua.
Learn the Crested Coua for real
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