Giant Coua - frontal, Kirindy Reserve, Madagascar
The Giant coua (Coua gigas) is a ground dwelling species that is common in Madagascar. It behaves chicken-like, strolling on the forest floor, picking insects and small vertebrates.
It looks highly similar to Coquerel's coua (Coua coquereli), yet is considerably larger, about twice the size. As size can be hard to estimate from a photo, a more useful difference is found in the bill. The Giant Coua has a thick and stout bill, much more robust compared to the Coquerel's coua.
The Giant Coua is a bird species from the Cuckoo family that is endemic to the dry forests of western and southern Madagascar. It is suggested that Couas probably originated from a particular Asian ground-cuckoo. Genus Coua contains 10 species, more than any other genus in Madagascar.
