Pheasant Coucal — Australian Bird Identification Guide

Bird guidePheasant Coucal

Unlike most cuckoos, this species builds its own nest and raises its own young instead of laying eggs in other birds' nests.

Spot this species Read on Wikipedia

⚠️Not listed

🍃Indigenous: Bugbana, Wubug, Bukbuk, Gurrundula, Djiwuŋgu, A-Gurrundula

At a glance

FamilyCuckoos

SizeLarge

RarityCommon

HabitatThey can fly, but are more typically seen running/flapping across roads, or clumsily crashing into dense vegetation.

Best timeMost reliable in Queensland from October to January.

Sounds

Sound sample

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Recorded by Peter Boesman

Range map

Occurrence window

3436visible hotspots

89789visible records

4states

Low confidenceMediumHigh confidence

Aggregated occurance data is sourced from 14 different actively-updating datasets including eBird Australia, iNaturalist Australia, BirdLife Australia, and multiple state-based bird surveys through Atlas of Living Australia.

Species notes

Overview

Adults are streaked rusty brown in nonbreeding plumage. In breeding plumage the head and front are black. They can fly, but are more typically seen running/flapping across roads, or clumsily crashing into dense vegetation.

Behavior

Unlike many cuckoos this species builds its own nest and does not lay eggs in nests of other species. Voice is a familiar repeated ‘whoop,’ and a screeching cat-like hiss.

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