The Coua: Madagascar's enigmatic cuckoos that build their own nests and hunt on foot

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Unlike their parasitic cousins, these large, long-tailed birds of Madagascar are industrious parents who construct their own nests. Reminiscent of African turacos, they navigate the island's diverse landscapes with a unique mix of terrestrial foraging and gliding flight, all while sporting striking, brightly coloured patches of bare skin around their eyes.

The genus Coua, part of the cuckoo family, represents a fascinating evolutionary branch endemic to Madagascar. While many cuckoos are infamous for laying eggs in the nests of other species, couas are notable for building their own nests and laying white eggs. This genus, formally established by Swiss naturalist Heinrich Rudolf Schinz in 1821, comprises about 10 species that have adapted to a wide array of environments, ranging from dense rainforests to the dry forests of western and southern Madagascar.

Physically, these birds are defined by their long tails and relatively weak flight, typically measuring between 45 and 60 centimetres in length. Their movement is highly varied; some species forage by clambering through jungle vegetation, while others move between tree canopies using a gliding motion. Their anatomy, particularly their long tibiae and reversible third toe, suggests a deep evolutionary connection to the Carpococcyx ground-cuckoos of Asia. This shared morphology has led some researchers to group them together within the subfamily Couinae.

The diversity of the genus is marked by both resilience and loss. While some species thrive in the island's varied habitats, others have faced extinction. For instance, Delalande's coua, also known as the snail-eating coua, vanished in the late 19th century. Furthermore, the fossil record reveals the existence of Bertha's coua, a species known only from Holocene remains. Today, these birds remain a subject of interest for their unique vocalizations—a series of evenly spaced notes—and their distinct ecological niche as terrestrial insectivores and fruit-eaters within the isolated ecosystems of Madagascar.

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