Bay Coucal

Celebeskuckuck ( Centropus celebensis )

The Celebeskuckuck ( Centropus celebensis ) is a cuckoo from the kind of spur Cuckoos ( Centropus ). It comes in two subspecies on Sulawesi, the Togean Islands and the islands of Buton and Muna.

Features

The Celebeskuckuck reaches a length of 42 to 51 cm. In the adult birds of the nominate Centropus celebensis celebensis the top of the head is grayish. The rest of the head and the sheath are one color beige - gray with yellow brown feather shafts. The rest of the top and the wings are reddish brown with a fine violet luster. The underside is light gray - yellow-brown, the abdomen and under tail-coverts are pale reddish brown. The graduated tail is solid reddish brown with a purple sheen. The juvenile birds resemble the adult birds. The plumage coloration is brighter with them, the skull less gray and the tail feathers narrower. The iris is red when the adult birds, gray for the juvenile birds. The beak is black with a horn brown to yellowish white lace. The juvenile birds is the lower beak and bright the tip of the upper beak, the feet are black. The subspecies Centropus celebensis rufescens is more reddish brown and often has black bridle.

Dissemination

Centropus celebensis celebensis occurs in North Sulawesi and the Togean Islands. The distribution area of Centropus celebensis rufescens extends to South Sulawesi, Buton, Labuan Blanda and on the island of Muna.

Habitat

The habitat includes primary and secondary lowland and hillside forests, as well as forest edges and scrub at altitudes up to 1,100 m. Less frequently it is found in mangrove forests. Next you can watch it with settlements in disturbed primary forests in the palm vegetation in the forest-savanna, forests on ultrabasic rocks and cultivated regions.

Way of life

The Celebeskuckuck is monogamous and usually goes in pairs in search of food. But it can also be observed in association with colored beak crested cuckoos and monkeys. He prefers the dense vegetation and is therefore difficult to observe. As a Malkoha he climbs through the vines and dense foliage. He can move on the forest floor very quickly. There is little information about its breeding behavior. A female with enlarged ovaries was observed in February. The flat, open nest resembles a pigeon nest and is built of bush timber in trees. For food of Celebeskuckucks include Spring terror, beetles, caterpillars, spiders, and fruit such as nutmegs.

Status and risk

The Celebeskuckuck is by BirdLife International as " not at risk " ( least concern ) classified. It is the largest part of Sulawesi, and on the neighboring islands rare, but locally moderately common. In Dumoga -Bone National Park it is locally common. He seems to have a wide habitat tolerance, he even lived in cultivated areas. However, the rattan production in its distribution area represents a serious threat to the population