White-browed Coucal © flickr.com

The form burchelli might be recognized as a full species, although intermediates, apparent hybrids between forms with a supercilium and forms without, are known in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique and northern Malawi. The difference in plumage suggests that adults of northern forms have retained a juvenile-like plumage (with white supercilium and brown crown and hindneck), while adults of southern form burchelli have a glossy black head and neck derived from an additional terminal plumage following the streaked plumage in which some birds breed. Birds from eastern Zimbabwe and Mozambique to eastern Tanzania, named as subspecies fasciipygialis, are probably a variant of burchelli.

The following 5 subspecies are recognised:

• sokotrae Grant, CHB, 1915   -  Socotra and south-western Arabia (Tihama).
• superciliosus Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1833   -  Eastern Sudan, Ethiopia and western Somalia through Kenya and north-eastern Uganda to north-eastern Tanzania.
• loandae Grant, CHB, 1915   -  Uganda, south-western Kenya and Tanzania through south-eastern Zaire, northern Malawi and Zambia to Angola, Botswana and northern Zimbabwe.
• burchellii Swainson, 1838   -  South-eastern, southern. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Burchell's Coucal (Centropus burchelli). Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Burchell's Coucal (Centropus burchelli).
• fasciipygialis Reichenow, 1898   -  Eastern Tanzania to eastern Zimbabwe and Mozambique. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Burchell's Coucal (Centropus burchelli).

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