About Coua caerulea (Linnaeus, 1766)
This species has the scientific name Coua caerulea (Linnaeus, 1766). The bird’s plumage is a deep blue, with a distinctive bare-feathered blue oval area surrounding the eye. Like all cuckoos, it has large feet, with a reversible third toe. It has a bulky silhouette, short broad wings, and a long tail; all of these features can be seen when it glides between trees. On average, adult birds measure 48 to 50 cm (18.9 to 19.7 in) in length, and weigh 30 to 60 grams (1.1 to 2.1 ounces); females are slightly larger than males. Its calls consist of evenly spaced "koa koa koa" notes, as well as a brief "brreee". This species is found in forests of northwestern and eastern Madagascar, and it is considered to be common there. The blue coua is an omnivore that feeds on insects, fruits, and small reptiles. It lives in subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical mangrove forest, and subtropical or tropical moist montane forest. Females lay a single white egg in a platform nest built from leaves and twigs on a tree branch.
