Verreaux's Coua
Coua verreauxi
The Verreaux's Coua (Coua verreauxi) is a rare cuckoo found only in Madagascar, weighing about 204 g. Verreaux's coua is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae.
About the Verreaux's Coua
Verreaux's coua is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to Madagascar. According to a BBC documentary, it is found only near a salt lake in the southern part of the island. The lake is 16 km long but only a couple of metres deep. The area has been drying out for the last 40,000 years and the organisms living here have become adapted to conserve water.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
How to identify it
The species is described thus: "A small, greyish arboreal coua. Overall mid-grey, whitish on lower breast and belly, and darker on flight-feathers. Tail dark greyish, long and tipped whitish on outer feathers. Head with long, dark-tipped crest, pale blue bare skin around eye and black bill."
Where it lives
When to see it
Best months: 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 Verreaux's Coua?
- The species is described thus: "A small, greyish arboreal coua. Full identification notes are on this page.
- How big is a Verreaux's Coua?
- The Verreaux's Coua is a medium sized bird weighing about 204 g.
- Where can you see a Verreaux's Coua?
- The Verreaux's Coua is endemic to Madagascar, which is the only country where it occurs.
- What birds look similar to a Verreaux's Coua?
- The Verreaux's Coua is most easily confused with the Red-breasted Coua, the Coquerel's Coua and the Giant Coua.
- Is the Verreaux's Coua endangered?
- The Verreaux's Coua is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.
Learn the Verreaux's Coua for real
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