Coucals are large cuckoo like birds which usually skulk in thick bushes and creep about rather than fly. They are often quite noisy quite a long bubbling distinctive call. The Blue-headed Coucal is usually found in wet swampy areas with thick cover. This bird was skulking in a papyrus reed bed on the shore of Lake Tana and scuttled across the path in front of me like a huge rat. It disappeared into the depth of this bush and about 20 minutes later I saw it come out with a small snake.