Lesser Coucal Did you see this animal?
Scientific Name : Centropus bengalensis
Family : Cuculidae
Order : Cuculiformes
Class : Aves
Phylum : Chordata
Other Name : Small Coucal
Habitat : Bushes
Description : The smaller coucal species has a shorter bill and a distinctive long hind claw. It has a blackish overall plumage with a long tail and rufous wings. There are two plumages: a glossy breeding plumage with dark shafts on the head and upper back, and a duller non-breeding plumage with whitish shafts. The wing coverts show whitish streaks, and the central upper tail coverts are barred and elongated. Unlike the greater coucal, its iris is a darker brown instead of crimson red. Juveniles have brown coloration with black spots and bars. The lesser coucal is typically observed alone or in pairs, residing in marshy or grassy areas near forests. They prefer lowland regions. Unlike other coucals, they do not engage in brood parasitism. Their nesting season spans from May to September, with a peak after the rains in June in India. They construct a dome-shaped nest using grass blades on a low tree. The usual clutch size is 3 eggs in India, 2 in Southeast Asia, and 4 in Taiwan. Both the male and female participate in incubating the eggs and caring for the offspring.
Distribution in Bangladesh
Other Species from Group
-
Phaenicophaeus tristis
(Green‑billed Malkoha) -
Hierococcyx nisicolor
(Whistling (Hodgson's) Hawk Cuckoo) -
Hierococcyx varius
(Common Hawk Cuckoo) -
Cuculus poliocephalus
(Lesser Cuckoo) -
Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus
(Violet Cuckoo) -
Cacomantis sonneratii
(Banded Bay Cuckoo) -
Clamator jacobinus
(Jacobin (Pied) Cuckoo) -
Surniculus lugubris
(Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo) -
Cacomantis merulinus
(Plaintive Cuckoo) -
Cuculus canorus
(Common (Eurasian) Cuckoo)
Species groups
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Bee-eaters -
Booby -
frigatebird -
phalarope -
tropicbird -
Martins and Swallows -
Crows, Drongos & allies -
Woodpeckers -
Eared Nightjars -
Ibises & Spoonbills -
Trogons -
Coucals -
Pelicans -
Darters -
Gulls -
Warblers and allies -
Flowerpeckers & Sunbirds -
Sparrows, Wagtails, Pipits a& allies -
moonbird -
Hawks & Eagles -
Snipes, Sandpipers, Plovers & allies -
Small Kingfishers -
Cisticola & Prinia -
Plovers & Lapwings -
Rails, Gallinules & Coots -
Tits -
Parrots -
Rosefinches and Buntings -
Bustards -
Grebes -
Pheasants & Partridges -
Old World flycatcher -
Starlings and Mynas -
Hornbills -
Buttonquails -
Rollers -
Bluebirds -
Crested Kingfishers -
Cormorants -
Pigeons and Doves -
Jacanas -
Typical Owl -
Finfoots &booby -
Flamingo -
Herons and Bitterns -
Treecreepers -
Nuthatch -
Barbets -
Treeswifts -
Swifts -
Crab-plovers, Coursers and Pratincoles -
Bulbuls -
Frogmouths -
Larks -
Storks -
Broadbills -
Thick-knees -
Painted-snipes -
Nightjars -
Barn-owls -
Large-billed Kingfishers -
Falcons -
Pittas -
Cranes -
Whistling-ducks -
Ducks, Geese & Swans -
Hoopoe
References:
description written by:Fatema-Tuz-Zohora,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;Photo credit and copyright:MSH Sourav (TU Dresden, Germany);taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;bird song owner:Hobart WQH(www.xeno-canto.org/Hobart WQH), bird sound copyright reserved according to www.xeno-canto.org rules; more information, please contact us.
description written by:Fatema-Tuz-Zohora,Department of Zoology, Jagannath University,Dhaka;information source: Encyclopedia of Flora and Fauna of Bangladesh, Vol-26, iucnredlist.org;Photo credit and copyright:MSH Sourav (TU Dresden, Germany);taxonomic checklist:P. M. Thompson and S. U. Chowdhury (2020). A checklist of birds of Bangladesh.Birds Bangladesh;bird song owner:Hobart WQH(www.xeno-canto.org/Hobart WQH), bird sound copyright reserved according to www.xeno-canto.org rules; more information, please contact us.