Green-billed Coucal
Centropus chlororhynchos
A mid-sized coucal of lowland and mid-hill forest. Black plumage with purplish sheen, dark rufous wings, and pale, greenish bill. Found in the dense undergrowth of humid forest where it is very skulking and difficult to see. Heard more often than seen. Similar to Greater Coucal, but Green-billed Coucal is smaller in size with pale bill. Call a series of deep, double “boop-boop” notes, or a regular, upslurred “ker-chuip” or “chuip” rather like a stone dropping into water.
Identification
It is a medium to large bird at 43 cm. Its head and body is purple-black, the wings are maroon above and black below, and the long tail is dark green. The bill is a distinctive light green. Sexes are similar, but juveniles are duller and streaked. It is somewhat smaller and less contrasted than the more widespread greater coucal. Despite its size and distinctive call, this is a difficult species to see because of the dense habitat in which it lives and its retiring nature. It feeds on a wide range of insects, caterpillars and small vertebrates, but snails are a favourite.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Centropus chlororhynchos
- Authority
- Blyth, 1849
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Genus
- Centropus
Range and habitat
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- declining
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Roviana Rail
Gallirallus rovianae
A flightless rail with a plain rufous back and neck, a plain gray throat and narrow eyebrow, a dark bill, and underparts barred brown and white. Seemingly tolerant of a wide variety of habitats, including secondary forest and gardens. Similar to Buff-banded Rail, but underparts barred brown-and-white, not black-and-white, and upperparts much plainer. Call is reportedly a rapidly repeated high-pitched “ki-ti-ki-ti-ki-ti.”
Parker's Spinetail
Cranioleuca vulpecula
Rusty above with pale brown underparts, a whitish throat, and a long spiky tail. Occurs on shrubby river islands favoring early successional vegetation. Song is an accelerating and descending series of “tew” notes, ending in a trill. The rather similar Rusty-backed Spinetail has buffy underparts, a less distinct eyebrow, and a different song, and occurs in seasonally flooded forests and gallery forests.
Spotted Greenbul
Ixonotus guttatus
A distinctive rainforest greenbul with olive-brown upperparts, pale underparts, white spots on the wings, and white outer tail feathers. Found in the canopy of humid forest at low and middle elevations, usually in restless flocks of 5-15 individuals, but occasionally gathers by the dozens. Often flicks out one wing, an odd and distinctive behavior. Somewhat similar to nicators, but found in the canopy, and easily separated by the unhooked bill, the white tail edges, and the white rather than yellow spots on the back. Very vocal, constantly giving a penetrating “stick” call.
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