The crested coua (Coua cristata) is a common medium sized bird member of the cuckoo family, Cuculidae. It is endemic to Madagascar, mainly found in the coastal regions of the island. The crested coua is a weak flyer, so it will often be observed hopping from branch to branch in high canopies. It is distinguished mainly by its greenish-grey back, its prominent grey head crest, rufous-coloured breast, white abdomen and bright turquoise and blue patches of bare skin around the eyes. Description Adults The adult crested coua is a medium-sized bird, averaging between 12 and 17 inches (30 to 44 cm) in length. It has a greenish-gray plumage on the back, a white abdomen, rufous-colored chest and brown eyes. Its long tail is purplish-blue with white tips and its bill and beak are black. Its defining characteristics are its prominent grey head crest and, as goes for all couas, its colourful patches of bare skin around the eyes, which is blue and turquoise in crested couas. In flight, it is recognizable from its short rounded wings and long white-tipped tail. Furthermore, this bird’s third toe is reversible, which helps it have a strong grip when hopping around high branches in the canopy. Although they are common birds in their range, they can be hard to see in the wild since their greenish-gray coloration tends to blend with shadows and acting as camouflage. Males and females are similar physically. Juveniles Juveniles are comparable to adult crested couas however, they are paler in colour, have a shorter head crest and do not have the characteristic bright blue and turquoise ring around the eye. Chicks Young chicks are altricial, which means they are naked at birth and need full parental attention for their early development. During that time, they have unique red and white "bullseyes" inside their mouth, supposedly used to indicate to their parents where to put the food. This characteristic is thought to be particularly useful at darker hours of the day. They also have a dark skin and a reddish bill at that stage. Taxonomy The crested coua is one of nine living bird species in the subfamily Couinae, which only has one genus, the Coua. These birds are part of the order Cuculiformes, which includes Cuckoos, Turacos and Roadrunners. Couas are a monophyletic group of endemic birds of Madagascar. Three of the coua species are arboreal (Blue Coua (C.