Crested Coua

Crested couas are a kind of cuckoo found in the forests of Madagascar. They are very vocal and easily identified by their alarm call. They also raise their head crest feathers while vocalizing. Couas also make calls to stake their territory, find a mate and communicate with their young.

Couas are social birds and dedicated parents, making a nest of twigs in a tree. Females typically lay two eggs, which take a few weeks to hatch. Young chicks have a bullseye pattern on their tongue! This marking is thought to be an adaptation to help the parents target food to the chick’s mouth. The bullseye fades as the chick grows to be an adult.