Black-faced coucal

The black-faced coucal (Centropus melanops) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found in the islands of Mindanao, Basilan Dinagat Islands Bohol, Leyte, Biliran and Samar. It is a striking coucal with its cream head contrasted with a black mask and tail and chestnut wings. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forest.

Black-faced coucal
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Cuculiformes
Family:	Cuculidae
Genus:	Centropus
Species:	C. melanops
Binomial name
Centropus melanops Lesson, 1830

Description and taxonomy

EBird describes the bird as "A large, long-tailed bird of forest tangles in the lowlands and lower mountains of the southern Philippines. Distinguished by black belly and tail, chestnut wings, cream color from the upper back and chest up to the top of the crown, and a triangular black mask on the face reaching a point at the back of the head. No other similar species in range. Skulking and more often heard than seen. Gives a deep, rapid "wup-wup!" or a lazy, upslurred "woooop!"^[2]

Subspecies

Two subspecies are recognized:

• C. m mindanensis – Found on Mindanao, Basilan and Dinagat Islands
• C. m. banken – Found on Bohol, Leyte, Biliran and Samar

Subspecies are weakly differentiated and may possibly lumped to be monotypic.^[3]

Ecology and behavior

Not much is known about its diet and breeding habits. It is pressumed to feed on insects. Forages in thick tangled vines and bamboo. Nest is undescribed but eggs are supposedly all white.^[4]

Habitat and conservation status

It is found in tropical moist lowland forest with dense understory up to 1,200 meters above sea level. Forages in tangled undergrowth and treetops.^[3]

IUCN has assessed this bird as least-concern species but the population is decreasing. This species' main threat is habitat loss with wholesale clearance of forest habitats as a result of logging, agricultural conversion and mining activities occurring within the range.

Occurs in a few protected areas like Pasonanca Natural Park, Mount Apo and Mount Kitanglad on Mindanao, Rajah Sikatuna Protected Landscape in Bohol and Samar Island Natural Park but actual protection and enforcement from illegal logging and hunting are lax^[5]