In the tall grasslands and reed-filled wetlands of South and Southeast Asia, this long-tailed shadow slips low and heavy through dense cover. It hunts insects, frogs, and small reptiles on foot, moving with deliberate strength rather than flight. What makes it extraordinary is its reversal of roles — the female sings and defends territory, while the male builds the nest and raises the young, a rarity among birds. Dark, secretive, and powerful, a ground-bound hunter that quietly shapes life at the margins of water and grass.
Pheasant Coucal 👇
