Pheasant Coucal

Centropus phasianinus

Description:

The Pheasant Coucal is a large pheasant-like cuckoo with a long tail and short rounded wings. In its breeding plumage, it has a black head, neck and underbody with the upperparts and wings reddish-brown with black and cream barring. Unlike most other cuckoos, the pheasant coucal is not a nest parasite.

Habitat:

Spotted in subtropical forest trees in my Australian home's garden. Habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical mangrove forests. Distibution: Australia, Indonesia, and Papua New Guinea.

Notes:

This bird is a clumsy flyer and when disturbed will run rather than fly. Sexes are similar in plumage, but females are larger than males. The pheasant coucal's summer voice is a deep, low 'boop boop boop’. In our household it’s known as the boop boop pheasant!

Species ID Suggestions

38 Comments (1–25)

Dan Doucette 11 years ago

Well, that makes sense, so they don't normally look this ratty.

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks for your comments everyone. Dan, that guy has just been fighting with another bird :-(

Dan Doucette 11 years ago

That is one wild and unkempt looking bird.

Nimbid Ditavi 11 years ago

Splendid spotting and great shots! Australia offers a lot of amazing wildlife!

shekainah d. alaban 11 years ago

In the Philippines country folks say its bad luck. Its just a superstitious belief Im sure.

Hema Shah 11 years ago

So true Kittu!! It is a sign of Good Luck.

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks kittuandme! Maybe some of out other Indian users can answer your question!

kittuandme 11 years ago

Is it true that in some parts of India seeing coucal is regarded to bring luck?

kittuandme 11 years ago

cool bird...it looks like its from a fancy show NICE WORK!

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks JoshuaAsel!

Josh Asel 11 years ago

very nice! :B

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks Emma!

Hema Shah 11 years ago

great colors and lovable !

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks IgCostaNut! And congrats on that cute white spider:-)

LarryGraziano 11 years ago

Your spottings never cease to amaze me! Beautiful!

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Shabby chic chimetsetan! Thanks for your comment.

ChimeTsetan 11 years ago

looks shabbily beautiful :)

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Thanks again Saarbrigger!

Saarbrigger 11 years ago

Impressive bird.

DanielePralong 11 years ago

Gracias harsuame!

DanielePralong 11 years ago

No recording I am afraid Argy. They were not boop booping at that time... But I plan put my whip birds recording there! I just need that thing called time :-)