The black-billed coucal or lesser black coucal is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is found in New Guinea.
Region
New Guinea
Typical Environment
Occurs across lowland and foothill zones of New Guinea, favoring dense rank grass, forest edge, reedbeds, sago swamps, and secondary growth. It keeps close to cover and often forages on or near the ground. The species tolerates mosaic habitats near villages and gardens when thick vegetation persists. It is generally absent from closed-canopy montane forest and very open dry savanna.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1200 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Unlike many cuckoos, coucals are not brood parasites; they build their own domed nests and raise their young. The black-billed coucal is a secretive, ground-foraging bird that slips through dense grasses and reeds. Its rich rufous wings contrast with a darker body, and its all-black bill helps distinguish it from similar species. It is sometimes called the lesser black coucal and is restricted to the island of New Guinea.
Temperament
secretive and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with brief glides; reluctant flier
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs, moving low through dense vegetation. Pairs build a domed nest concealed in tall grass or reeds, and both sexes share incubation and chick-rearing. Clutches are small, and territory defense consists of duetting calls and short chases within cover.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives low, booming series of notes and bubbling chuckles that carry through reedbeds. Pairs often duet, with one bird answering the other in a slower, hollow tone.
Plumage
Glossy dark head, neck, and body with rich rufous-brown wings and a long, graduated dark tail; juveniles show buffy streaking and barring.
Diet
Feeds mainly on large insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars, supplemented by spiders and other invertebrates. It will opportunistically take small vertebrates like frogs and lizards and may raid nests for eggs or nestlings. Prey is typically seized on the ground or from low foliage after a quiet stalk.
Preferred Environment
Forages within dense grasses, reeds, and tangles along swamps, marsh edges, and forest margins. Often hunts from low perches or by creeping through leaf litter and rank vegetation.
