MIAMI – A significant milestone was reached at Zoo Miami on March 28 as the Avian Propagation Center welcomed its first-ever hatched crested coua, zoo officials announced in a news release Wednesday.
According to Zoo Miami Communications Director Ron Magill, crested couas are medium-sized birds that are endemic to Madagascar’s forests, shrublands and savannas.
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The species is typically known for its distinctive grey crests and unique calls. These birds, belonging to the cuckoo family, exhibit brightly colored bare skin around their eyes and prefer hopping or short flights between branches in trees, as they are typically weak flyers, Magill stated.
Their diet consists of insects, fruits, berries, seeds and small reptiles.
One of the remarkable features of couas is observed in their hatchlings. To attract parental attention and guide them to food sources, coua chicks possess distinct red and white “bullseyes” in their mouths. When hungry, they display these targets by opening their mouths widely and shaking their heads, prompting parents to deliver food directly to these markings for easy consumption, the news release stated.
While crested couas are currently categorized as a species of least concern, their populations are declining due to habitat loss in Madagascar, according to Magill.
The Avian Propagation Center collaborates with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) community to support the conservation efforts for rare, endangered and underrepresented species.
View more pictures of the species here: