Pheasant Coucal
Calls & Sounds

The Pheasant Coucal (Centropus phasianinus) is a large species of cuckoo found in Australia, New Guinea and Timor. Like other species of coucal (genus Centropus), they are not brood parasites. They build their own nest and raise their own young.

What does a Pheasant Coucal sound like? Pheasant Coucals make deep, hollow whooping calls. They are often given as a series of bubbly notes which descend in pitch at the start as the notes accelerate, then ascend in pitch toward the end of the sequence as it decelerates. Another call sequence is a more monotone series of whoops. Pheasant Coucals often call as a duet between a pair, with the voice of female bird lower than that of the male. 

Pheasant Coucals also make a harsh, scraping or sucking ‘tcheow!’, sometimes given as an alarm call.  They also make a series of repeated dry, scraping calls which progressively slow in tempo and lower in pitch.

Listen to some examples of Pheasant Coucal sounds below.