Burchell's Coucal

(C. b. burchellii) Ad: Crown and face to upper mantle uniform glossy black. Back rich rufous. Rump and upper tail coverts brown, finely barred buff. Tail glossy black, base with narrow buff bars. Wings rich rufous, primaries tipped olive-brown. Underparts buffy white, usually finely barred brown on flanks and around vent. Bill black. Eyes red. Legs and feet bluish grey to black.

Imm: Initially, head and mantle buff, streaked off-white, sometimes with white feather shafts. Rump and tail dark matt brown, finely but profusely barred. Wings rufous, finely barred darker brown. Later, barring restricted mainly to rump, upper tail coverts and base of tail; barring on wings reduced. Eyes orange.

Juv: Upperparts mostly ginger-brown, head and throat streaked whitish, wings, rump and tail heavily barred darker brown. Underparts buffy, sometimes barred. Eyes brown.

Confusing species: Ad Senegal Coucal lacks fine barring at base of tail and on upper tail coverts and rump. Juvs of the 2 spp probably indistinguishable in field.

Author:CJ Vernon & WRJ Dean