Photo: John Gould / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Buff-headed Coucal
Centropus milo
Buff-headed Coucal (Centropus milo) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Australia & Oceania.
The Buff-headed Coucal (Centropus milo) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 769 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Centropus
- Species milo
Quick facts
- Weight
- 769 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Buff-headed Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Buff-headed Coucal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Buff-headed Coucal (Centropus milo) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU c Solomon Is.
It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 769 g, with a wing length of about 26.4 cm and a tail of around 32.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 11,000 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Buff-headed Coucal?
The Buff-headed Coucal is a large bird that weighs around 769 g.
Where does the Buff-headed Coucal live?
The Buff-headed Coucal is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU c Solomon Is, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Buff-headed Coucal belong to?
The Buff-headed Coucal (Centropus milo) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Buff-headed Coucal eat?
The Buff-headed Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Buff-headed Coucal migrate?
The Buff-headed Coucal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Buff-headed Coucal endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Buff-headed Coucal make?
1 real field recording of the Buff-headed Coucal — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Buff-headed Coucal's range?
The Buff-headed Coucal has a mapped global range of about 11,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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