The lesser coucal (Centropus bengalensis) is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It has a wide distribution range that overlaps with several other similar species. The habitat in which it is found is often marshy land with grass and tree cover. It is distinguished by its smaller size, less prominent bill, pale shaft streaks on the feathers of the head and back. It has a much longer claw on its hind toe and a distinct call. It is also among the few coucals that show season plumage differences but like in other coucals, the sexes cannot be distinguished in the field. Taxonomy The lesser coucal was formally described in 1788 by the German naturalist Johann Friedrich Gmelin in his revised and expanded edition of Carl Linnaeus's Systema Naturae. He placed it with all the other cuckoos in the genus Cuculus and coined the binomial name Cuculus bengalensis. Gmelin based his description on the "lark-heeled cuckoo" from Bengal that had been described and illustrated in 1776 by the English naturalist Peter Brown. The lesser coucal is now one of around 30 species placed in the genus Centropus that was introduced in 1811 by the German zoologist Johann Karl Wilhelm Illiger. The genus name combines the Ancient Greek kentron meaning "spur" or "spike" with pous meaning "foot". Six subspecies are recognised: C. b. bengalensis (Gmelin, JF, 1788) – India and Nepal to Myanmar, Thailand and Indochina C. b. lignator Swinhoe, 1861 – south, southeast China, Hainan and Taiwan C. b. javanensis Dumont, 1818 – Malay Peninsula to Sumatra, Riau and Lingga Island (east of central Sumatra), Bangka and Belitung (east of south Sumatra), Java, Borneo, Palawan group and Sulu Archipelago (southwest, south Philippines) C. b. philippinensis Mees, 1971 – Philippines (except Palawan group and Sulu Archipelago) Sometimes included in javanensis. C. b. sarasinorum Stresemann, 1912 – Sulawesi, Sangihe and Talaud Islands (north of northeast Sulawesi) and Lesser Sunda Islands C. b. medius Bonaparte, 1850 – Moluccas (except Kai Islands, southeast Moluccas) In the past, this species was lumped along with the Malagasy coucal (Centropus toulou) but comparison of DNA sequences suggest that the lesser coucal is more closely related to the black coucal (Centropus grillii) and Philippine coucal (Centropus viridis) than to any other relatives. Description This slightly smaller-sized and shorter-billed coucal has a very long hind claw, the longest within the genus. The overall plumage, as in many other