Coppery-tailed Coucal Centropus cupreicaudus

Huge coucal with a hefty bill. The head and tail usually look black, but can show a coppery or purplish sheen in certain light. Found in thick wetlands, especially papyrus. Fairly skulking, though occasionally seen in the open. Massive size is obvious in flight. The call is a slow, deep version of the typical coucal descending and accelerating series of “boop” notes. Very similar to Blue-headed Coucal, but there is virtually no overlap in range, and Coppery-tailed is larger, without a blue sheen to the head. Burchell’s and Senegal Coucals have a similar pattern, but are much smaller.