Photo: Afsarnayakkan / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Coucal
Centropus bengalensis
Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) — Cuckoos & Turacos of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 149 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 bengalensis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 149 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Grassland & open country
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lesser Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open grassland, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Lesser Coucal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) is a species of bird in the Cuculidae family, part of the order Cuculiformes. Its range spans Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR, AU widespread.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 149 g, with a wing length of about 15.5 cm and a tail of around 18.5 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 6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Coucal?
The Lesser Coucal is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 149 g.
Where does the Lesser Coucal live?
The Lesser Coucal is found across Australia & Oceania and South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR, AU widespread, where it favours open grassland, scrub and lightly vegetated country.
What family does the Lesser Coucal belong to?
The Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Lesser Coucal eat?
The Lesser Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Lesser Coucal migrate?
The Lesser Coucal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Lesser 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 Lesser Coucal make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser 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 Lesser Coucal's range?
The Lesser Coucal has a mapped global range of about 6 million 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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