Bird Album
Giant Coua
Coua gigas (Boddaert, 1783)
62 cmLength424 gWeight
The giant coua (Coua gigas) is a bird species from the Coua genus in the cuckoo family that is endemic to the dry forests of western and southern Madagascar.
Busiest months: November · Most records: Madagascar
Where and when it's recorded
Busiest months: November · Most records: Madagascar
Giant Coua has been recorded at 5 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 1 country or region.
Records by month Southern Hemisphere
Where it's recorded most
- Zombitse-Vohibasia NPMadagascar692 records
- Berenty ReserveMadagascar361 records
- Ifaty – spiny forest reservesMadagascar4 records
More places
- Le Relais de la Reine/Le Jardin du RoyMadagascar1 record
- Ranomafana NPMadagascar1 record
Countries and regions with the most records
eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.
About
The giant coua (Coua gigas) is a bird species from the Coua genus in the cuckoo family that is endemic to the dry forests of western and southern Madagascar. Couas probably originated from a particular Asian ground-cuckoo. The genus Coua contains 10 species, more than any other genus in Madagascar.
Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia
Questions
How big is the Giant Coua?
The Giant Coua is about 62 cm long and weighs around 424 g.
Where does the Giant Coua live?
Its breeding range: Africa: western, southern Madagascar. It is most often recorded in Madagascar.
When is the best time to see the Giant Coua?
At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).
Is the Giant Coua endangered?
The IUCN Red List classifies the Giant Coua as Vulnerable.
What does the Giant Coua eat?
Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.
What family is the Giant Coua in?
It belongs to the family Cuckoos (Cuculidae), order Cuculiformes.
At a glance
- Length
- 62 cm
- Weight
- 424 g
- Habitat
- Forest
- Diet
- Insects & other invertebrates
- Lifestyle
- Active on the ground
- Migration
- Resident (barely migrates)
- Conservation
- Vulnerable
More measurements
- Wing
- 213 mm
- Tail
- 296 mm
- Bill
- 36 mm
- Tarsus
- 67 mm
Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.
Range
Africa: western, southern Madagascar
Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2
Classification
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Family
- Cuckoos Cuculidae
- Genus
- Coua
Other birds in the genus Coua
Crested CouaCoua cristata
Verreaux's CouaCoua verreauxi
Blue CouaCoua caerulea
Red-capped CouaCoua ruficeps
Olive-capped CouaCoua olivaceiceps
Red-fronted CouaCoua reynaudii
Coquerel's CouaCoua coquereli
Running CouaCoua cursor
Red-breasted CouaCoua serriana
Guira CuckooGuira guira
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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from reference photos. ↗
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