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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Sumatran Ground-cuckoo
Song
Deep, resonant whistled call; melodic notes with carrying quality audible through dense woodland habitat.
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
Critically Endangered
Sumatran Ground-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
Sumatran Ground-cuckoo
Plumage
Goliath Coucal (large form): very large; dark brown; rich rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; impressive
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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Sumatran Ground-cuckoo (Carpococcyx viridis) — 52–58 cm. Bronzy-green above; pale buff below; bare red-and-yellow facial skin; long decurved bill; heavy build. Critically Endangered; restricted to lowland forest of Sumatra. Non-parasitic; terrestrial. Omnivore. Known from very few records; one of the rarest cuckoos in the world.
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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