Black-hooded Coucal
Also known as: Centropus steerii (scientific name) · Steere's coucal
Definition
The Black-hooded Coucal (Centropus steerii) is a large, ground-foraging cuckoo endemic to the island of Mindanao in the Philippines, where it inhabits lowland rainforest and dense second growth. Named after Joseph Beal Steere, who led the nineteenth-century zoological expedition that collected it, the species is unmistakable within its range: a black head and underparts set against chestnut wings and back. Ongoing deforestation has reduced it to scattered fragments, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists it as Critically Endangered. (Wikipedia)
Identities
| Source Type | Identity |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia | Black-hooded coucal |
| Wikidata | Q1264610 |
| DBpedia | N/A |
| ProductOntology | N/A |
| Wiktionary | N/A |
| Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH) | N/A |
| MeSH | N/A |
| NCBI Taxonomy | Centropus steerii |
| AGROVOC | N/A |
| Google Scholar | Centropus steerii black-hooded coucal Mindanao endangered |
| ConceptNet | bird |
| OpenCyc | N/A |
Also Known As
- Centropus steerii (scientific name)
- Steere’s coucal
Examples and Analogies
- A Mindanao Exclusive: Just as the Philippine Eagle embodies the wildness of Mindanao’s remaining forests, the black-hooded coucal is a quieter marker of the same habitat, heard deep in tangles rather than seen soaring.
- Cuckoo, But Not a Parasite: Unlike many cuckoos notorious for laying eggs in other birds’ nests, coucals build their own bulky nests and raise their own young.
Usage Scenarios
1. Biodiversity Indicator
Because the coucal needs large tracts of intact lowland forest, its presence serves as an indicator that an area retains significant conservation value.
2. Expedition Target for Birders
Dedicated international birdwatchers include the species among Mindanao’s most sought-after endemics, visiting sites in eastern Mindanao with local guides.
Strategies
- Conduct systematic audio surveys, as the species’ deep, hollow “hoop-hoop” calls are the most reliable detection method.
- Focus protection on remaining lowland forest connections between protected areas, since the coucal struggles in heavily opened landscapes.
- Work with Indigenous peoples’ communities and local government units whose territories hold the last strongholds.
Security and Safety Measures
- Fieldwork in remote Mindanao forests requires coordination with local authorities and community escorts.
- The species is protected under Philippine wildlife law (Republic Act No. 9147), which prohibits hunting, trapping, and trade.
- Survey teams should follow low-impact protocols, avoiding collection and minimizing habitat disturbance.
Historical Context
The species was collected during the Steere Expedition to the Philippines in the late 1880s and formally described in 1890, honoring the expedition’s leader. Through the twentieth century it was recorded only sporadically, and by the 1990s to 2000s surveys suggested surviving numbers were extremely small, leading the IUCN to treat it as one of the most threatened birds in the Philippines.
Challenges and Controversies
Uncertain Population Size
Estimates vary widely because the bird is furtive and its range incompletely surveyed, complicating prioritization of limited conservation funds.
Lowland Forest Conversion
Logging and agricultural expansion into Mindanao’s lowlands continue to shrink the species’ preferred habitat, which receives less protection than the island’s higher-elevation parks.
Related Topic
Mindanao