Coua serriana
The Red-breasted Coua (Coua serriana) is a strikingly beautiful, medium-sized cuckoo endemic to the humid forests of eastern Madagascar. Measuring approximately 42-44 cm (16.5-17.3 inches) in length, this species is immediately recognizable by its brilliant rufous (red-breasted) chest and belly, which contrasts sharply with its olive-green upperparts. Distinctive field marks include a greyish-blue crown, a blackish facial mask, and a prominent area of bare, bright blue skin encircling the eye...
This species primarily inhabits dense, humid lowland evergreen forests and secondary growth, favoring areas with thick undergrowth and tangled vegetation, typically at elevations below 900 meters.
Its diet is omnivorous, consisting mainly of large insects such as orthopterans and caterpillars, spiders, small reptiles like chameleons, and a variety of fruits.
The Red-breasted Coua is a predominantly terrestrial and diurnal bird, often observed walking or running gracefully on the forest floor, though it will readily climb into low trees and shrubs. Unlike many other cuckoos, it is not brood parasitic, meaning it constructs its own nest and raises its ...
The Red-breasted Coua is strictly endemic to the island of Madagascar, with its primary distribution concentrated in the eastern humid lowland evergreen forests. Its range extends along the eastern seaboard from the northern part of the island (around Marojejy and Masoala National Parks) southwar...
Least Concern
- The genus name "Coua" is onomatopoeic, derived directly from the distinctive calls of these birds. - Unlike most cuckoos worldwide, all species within the genus Coua, including the Red-breasted Coua, are non-brood parasitic, meaning they build their own nests and rear their own young. - Red-bre...