Crested Coua

Crested couas are endemic to Madagascar and are the most widespread of all couas. Although their population numbers are unknown, their range is thought to be 562,000 km2 along the coast of the island. They are found at altitudes as high as 900m above sea level, but are most commonly seen around altitudes of 700m. Despite being mostly found in littoral and deciduous forests, their habitats also consist open areas like savannas and brushlands. They will occasionally be found in mangroves and palms as well. Additionally, they usually avoid deciduous shrublands, selecting mainly for mosaics of forests and croplands. As arboreal species, they tend to use forest layers above five meters and they nest, on average, around nine meters from the ground.

Despite being capable of flight, crested couas are weak flyers, and often bounce continuously between branches in tree canopies. Keeping balance with their long tail and grasping branches with their reversible toe, they are able to move with speed and agility. Secretive, they tend to stay in groups of three to five individuals outside of breeding season. They do not tend to flock, although they sometimes join mixed-species flocks.

Vocalization. They are highly vocal birds and have several different calls that we can hear in the wild. The most commons are "laser gun calls", which are a series of piercing sounds, and doubled, wooden "touk-touk" sounds. It is also possible to hear calls such as "koa-koa-koa" and "guay-guay-guay-guay-gwuck". Its call can sometimes serve as an indicator of predator presence in the environment. Couas, like many birds, tend to be more vocal around sunset, often creating mixed chorus with other species. They also raise their head crest while calling.

Reproduction. Breeding crested couas are usually found in monogamous pairs. Unlike some other species of cuckoos, these birds do not take part in brood parasitism, but rather, both male and female co-parent the chicks. The pair builds their nest themselves out of twigs and hide it in trees or bushes to avoid detection by predators. Two single white eggs are laid and incubated by both parents. …