Photo: James Niland from Brisbane, Australia / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)

Least Concern

Cuckoos & Turacos

Pheasant Coucal

Centropus phasianinus

Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Australia & Oceania.

Field guide · LocationsWhere to see this bird

Found across 12 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.

Regional checklists

Birds of Australia Birds of Indonesia Birds of New South Wales Birds of Northern Territory Birds of Queensland Birds of Western Australia

By family

Cuckoos of Australia Cuckoos of Indonesia Cuckoos of New South Wales Cuckoos of Northern Territory Cuckoos of Queensland Cuckoos of Western Australia

See what's near you right now

The Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 382 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.

Conservation status

IUCN Red List

LC Least Concern

Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.

Where it fits

Class Aves
Order Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
Genus Centropus
Species phasianinus

Where it lives

Lesser Sundas, east-central to southeastern New Guinea and northern, eastern Australia

Australia & Oceania

Quick facts

Weight: 382 g
Diet: Invertebrate-eaters
Family: Cuculidae
Order: Cuculiformes
Habitat: Woodland

How to identify

Similar birds

Least Concern

Biology & behaviour

Diet

The Pheasant Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Behaviour

A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it forages mainly on the ground.

Migration

The Pheasant Coucal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

The Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Lesser Sundas, ec to se New Guinea and n, e Australia.

It is a large bird. Adults weighs around 382 g, with a wing length of about 24.6 cm and a tail of around 33.6 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 2.7 million km².

Songs & calls

Pheasant Coucal — Call

Recorded by Tom Cooney Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

Frequently asked questions

How big is the Pheasant Coucal?

The Pheasant Coucal is a large bird that weighs around 382 g.

Where does the Pheasant Coucal live?

The Pheasant Coucal is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Lesser Sundas, ec to se New Guinea and n, e Australia, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.

What family does the Pheasant Coucal belong to?

The Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.

What does the Pheasant Coucal eat?

The Pheasant Coucal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.

Does the Pheasant Coucal migrate?

The Pheasant Coucal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.

Is the Pheasant 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 Pheasant Coucal make?

1 real field recording of the Pheasant 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 Pheasant Coucal's range?

The Pheasant Coucal has a mapped global range of about 2.7 million km².