Pheasant Coucal

The Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) is a large, ground-dwelling bird, bearing a resemblance to a pheasant in stature and movement. It measures between 50 to 70 cm in length and exhibits a robust build. During the breeding season, it sports a striking plumage with a black head, neck, breast, and belly, complemented by barred chestnut wings and a long tail adorned with black, brown, and cream bars. Outside of the breeding season, the bird's black plumage transitions to a chestnut color streaked with white.

Identification Tips

To identify the Pheasant Coucal, look for its large size and heavy-set appearance. Breeding adults have a distinctive black and chestnut barred plumage, while non-breeding birds display a more muted chestnut color with white streaks. The long tail with black, brown, and cream bars is a key feature to look for in all seasons.

Habitat

The Pheasant Coucal favors environments with dense understory, such as shrubby forest undergrowth, tall grasslands, swampy areas, and even agricultural landscapes like sugar cane plantations. It thrives in areas overrun with weedy vegetation, including blackberry or lantana.

Distribution

This species is found across eastern and northern Australia, from the south coast of New South Wales to Cape York, and westward to the Pilbara region. Its range extends to eastern Timor and the lowlands of New Guinea.

Behaviour

The Pheasant Coucal is predominantly a ground-dweller, adept at navigating through dense underbrush. It is known for its opportunistic predatory habits and can exhibit bold behavior, such as attacking birds ensnared in mist nets.

Song & Calls

The summer vocalizations of the Pheasant Coucal consist of a distinctive, low-pitched 'boop boop boop', descending in tone. In winter, it emits a sharp, hissing call.

Breeding

Nesting takes place in tall grass or bushes, where the bird constructs an untidy bowl-shaped structure from grasses and leaves, often with a canopy formed by tying together overhead stems. The clutch consists of two to six white, oval eggs. The male is primarily responsible for incubating the eggs and feeding the young, as well as building the nest.

Diet and Feeding

The Pheasant Coucal's diet is carnivorous, consisting of small reptiles, amphibians, bird eggs and chicks, small mammals, and large insects. It is an opportunistic feeder, taking advantage of various prey items within its habitat.

Conservation status

The Pheasant Coucal is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating that it is not at immediate risk of population decline or habitat loss at a global scale.