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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
White-crowned Cuckoo
Song
Loud, resonant call with musical quality; rich carrying notes building in sequence from forest perch.
Western Koel
Song
Loud, far-carrying nasal call; distinctive penetrating notes audible through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
White-crowned Cuckoo
Least Concern
Western Koel
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
White-crowned Cuckoo
Plumage
White-crowned Cuckoo: white crown; dark brown mantle; pale below; long dark tail; distinctive white crown contrasting dark body
Western Koel
Plumage
Shining Bronze-cuckoo: brilliant iridescent golden-green above; white barred below; bronze-green head; reddish eye; small size
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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White-crowned Cuckoo (Caliechthrus leucolophus) — 30–34 cm. Striking; black-and-white; white crown and underparts; black back and wings; long tail. Inhabits lowland forest and forest edge of New Guinea. Brood parasite; hosts include whistlers. Insectivore.
Western Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) — 39–46 cm. Male glossy black; female brown with white spots and barred underparts; red eye. Widespread from South Asia through mainland Southeast Asia. Brood parasite targeting crows and mynas. Frugivore and insectivore. Its rising wailing call heralds the Indian summer.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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