The Andaman coucal is a species of non-parasitic cuckoo found in the Andamans, Coco and Table Islands. It is common in forests and in disturbed areas including gardens, forest and edge, mangroves, edges of paddy fields.
Structurally, it closely resembles the Greater Coucal (Centropus sinensis), except that its plumage is a fawn brown as opposed to the black with bluish-purple sheen seen in C. sinensis. It has a chestnut rear mantle and wings and the head is pale tawny brown. The mantle and breast grade from pale to dark brown on the belly and vent. The iris is pale brown. The tail is a pale brown at the base and dark violet-brown towards the tip. The tail feathers have conspicuous black shafts. The juvenile shows slight barring on the body, especially on the underside.
The song is much like that of the greater coucal, consisting of a long series of very deep and resonant hoop notes. The notes however rise abruptly in pitch. It is also known to produce chuckling and grating calls. Feeds on all kinds of insects, small frogs, crabs and lizards.
