caerulea), Crested Coua (C. cristata) and Verreaux's Coua (C. verreauxi)), and six species are ground dwelling (Coquerel's Coua (C. coquereli), Running Coua (C. cursor), Giant Coua (C. gigas), Red-fronted Coua (C. reynaudii), Red-capped Coua (C. ruficeps) and Red-breasted Coua (C. serriana)). Subspecies The crested coua has four subspecies: Coua cristata cristata Coua cristata dumonti Coua cristata pyropyga Coua cristata maxima: Only Known from a single specimen. Is now is possibly extinct (late 20th century) or a hybrid. Distribution and habitat Crested couas are endemic to Madagascar and are the most widespread of all couas. Although their population numbers are unknown, their range is thought to be 562,000 sq km along the coast of the island. They are found at altitudes as high as 900m above sea level, but are most commonly seen around altitudes of 700m. Despite being mostly found in littoral and deciduous forests, their habitats also consist open areas like savannas and brushlands. They will occasionally be found in mangroves and palms as well. Additionally, they usually avoid deciduous shrublands, selecting mainly for mosaics of forests and croplands. As arboreal species, they tend to use forest layers above five meters and they nest, on average, around nine meters from the ground. Threats Although this species is marked as least concerned due to their stable populations, crested coua’s numbers are believed to be constantly declining due to habitat loss, degradation and hunting pressures. It is mostly hunted by humans for its tasty meat, but its main natural predators are fossas, hawks and eagles. Behaviour Despite being capable of flight, crested couas are weak flyers, so they are rather observed restlessly bouncing and between branches in the canopy. Keeping balance with their long tail and grasping branches with their reversible toe, they are able to move quickly and be agile. Secretive, they tend to stay in groups of three to five individuals outside of breeding season. They do not tend to flock, although they sometimes join mixed-species flocks. Vocalization They are highly vocal birds and have several different calls that we can hear in the wild. The most commons are “laser gun calls”, which are a series of piercing sounds, and doubled, wooden “touk-touk” sounds. It is also possible to hear calls such as “koa-koa-koa” and “guay-guay-guay-guay-gwuck”. Its call can sometimes serve as an indicator of predator presence in the environment. Couas, like many birds, tend to be more vocal