Lesser Coucal

Overview

The lesser coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae that is distinguished by its smaller size and less prominent bill. It is one of the few coucals that exhibit seasonal plumage differences, though the sexes cannot be distinguished in the field. The species is classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Blackish plumage with a long tail and rufous wings, featuring pale shaft streaks on the head and back that appear whitish in non-breeding plumage.
• Possesses the longest hind claw within the genus and a darker brown iris, unlike the crimson red of the greater coucal.
• Produces a series of low double "whoot-woot" or "kurook" notes that increase in tempo and descend in pitch.

Habitat

This bird inhabits marshy land with grass and tree cover, typically low in the undergrowth in marshy or grassy areas adjoining forest. Its range extends from the Indian subcontinent, excluding Sri Lanka, east across Southeast Asia to the Moluccas.

Did you know?

The Indonesian name for the species, dudut, is onomatopoeic, derived from its distinctive call.