The Senegal coucal (Centropus senegalensis) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes, which also includes the roadrunners, the anis, and the hoatzin. It is a medium-sized member of its genus and is found in lightly-wooded country and savannah in central and southern Africa.

Description
This is a medium-sized species at 39 cm (15 in). Its crown, nape and upper parts, bill, legs and long tail are black, the eyes are red, the wings are chestnut, and the underparts are creamy white, with blackish barring on the flanks. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are browner and more heavily barred above, with buff to cinnamon, barred and streaked underparts.

Distribution and habitat
It is a widespread species distributed through much of central and southern Africa south of the Sahara Desert. The range extends from Senegal in the west to Ethiopia and Kenya in the east, and Angola and Congo to the south. A separate population in southern Africa is centred on Zambia, Zimbabwe and northern Botswana. The Senegal coucal is a bird of grassy habitats with trees, such as bushes and savannah.

Ecology
The Senegal coucal takes a wide range of insects, caterpillars and small vertebrates. It occasionally eats other food items. It nests off the ground in low vegetation, and the typical clutch is two to four eggs laid in a large nest built from stalks and leaves.

Status
This is an abundant species, which advertises its presence with a loud ook-ook-ook call. It has a very wide range and no particular threats have been identified so the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern".
Afrikaans: Senegalvleiloerie
Catalan: Cucal del Senegal
Czech: Kukacka senegalská, kukačka senegalská
Danish: Sporegøg
German: Senegalkuckuck, Senegal-Spornkuckuck, Spornkuckuck
English: Senegal Coucal, Senegal Coucal (incl. epomidis), Senegal Coucal (incl. Rufous-bellied), Senegal Coucal (incl. ssp. epomidis), Senegal Coucal [incl. epomidis], Senegeal coucal
English (IOC): Senegal Coucal
English (Kenya): Senegal Coucal
Spanish: Cucal Senegalé, Cucal Senegales, Cucal Senegalés
Spanish (Spain): Cucal Senegalés
Spanish (HBW): Cucal senegalés
Estonian: rohu-kannuskägu
Finnish: Afrikankukaali
French: Coq de Pagode, Coucal du Senégal, Coucal du Sénégal, Coucal du Sénégal (incl. à ventre roux), Coucal du Sénégal ou C. à ventre roux
Hebrew: קוקל
Hungarian: szenegáli bozótkakukk
Icelandic: Sporagaukur
Italian: Cucal del Senegal, Cuculo fagiano del Senegal
Japanese: senegarubanken
Japanese: セネガルバンケン
Kwangali: Mukuku
Scientific: Centropus senegalensis, Centropus senegalensis [incl. epomidis], Centropus senegalensis senegalensis, Cuculus senegalensis
Lithuanian: Senegalinė gegutė, Senegalinė pentiniuotoji gegutė, senegalinė pentinuotoji gegutė
Latvian: Senegālas koukals
Dutch: Senegalese Spoorkoekoek
Norwegian Nynorsk: Senegalsporegauk
Norwegian: Senegalsporegjøk
Polish: kukal senegalski
Portuguese: Cucal do Senegal, Cucal-do-senegal, Pássaro-governo
Portuguese (Portugal): Pássaro-governo
Russian: Сенегальская шпорцевая кукушка
Slovak: Ostrohár hrdzavý
Slovenian: senegalski kukal
Shona: Murenda
Serbian: Senegalski kukal
Swedish: Senegalsporrgök
Swahili: Dudumizi Kichwa-cheusi
Turkish: Senegal Kukalı
Ukrainian: Коукал сенегальський
Chinese: 塞内加尔鸦鹃
Chinese (Traditional): 塞內加爾鴉鵑

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