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  • Writer's pictureChirp! Magazine

Tracing the low-pitched sound of the Greater Coucal



Yes, its a cuckoo, but they are non parasitic, ie they do not lay their eggs in other's nests.


Every morning, I was awakened by a low-pitched resonant booming sound. Today, I decided to pick up my binoculars and find the bird that made this sound. The low-pitched "Goo goo goo" sound was that of a Greater Coucal. This bird was very shy and I had to hide behind bushes to watch it. It had very low flight height and mostly in pairs.


It is a bird of Least Concern but a joy for me when I can match the call to a bird.


Greater Coucal is a beautiful terrestrial bird, and although it resembles pheasants, it belongs to Cuculidae family, but it is not a brood parasite. It is also known as Crow Pheasant or Coucal. A widespread resident in Asia, from India, east to south China and Indonesia. They are large, crow-like with a long tail and coppery brown wings and found in wide range of habitats from jungle to cultivation and urban gardens. They are weak fliers, and are often seen clambering about in vegetation or walking on the ground as they forage for insects, eggs and nestlings of other birds. They have a familiar deep resonant call which is associated with omens in many parts of its range.

Chirp!

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