Coral-billed Ground Cuckoo

The coral-billed ground cuckoo is a large terrestrial cuckoo 56–70 cm long. Adults have a glossy violet-black head, neck, upper breast and long tail, grey back and wings, pale underparts and a conspicuous white breast band. The coral-red bill and legs and bare red-and-violet or blue skin around the pale eye are unmistakable. Sexes look alike, while juveniles are browner, more barred and have dark bill and legs (Wikipedia, general species account; Cornell Lab eBird species account).

Restricted to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam, it walks and forages on or close to the ground in dense lowland and foothill forest. Its secretive habits and preference for heavy cover make it difficult to observe despite its size; individuals are often detected by voice. The male gives a long, haunting whistle that rises around the middle and falls toward the end. The species takes ground-dwelling invertebrates and other small animal prey while searching through forest litter (Wikipedia, general species account; Cornell Lab eBird species account).