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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Andaman Coucal
Song
Melodic, whistled phrase with clear quality; pure resonant notes carrying across African woodland habitat.
Jamaican Lizard-cuckoo
Song
Loud, far-carrying resonant call with melodic quality; clear rich notes given from tall forest tree.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Andaman Coucal
Least Concern
Jamaican Lizard-cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Andaman Coucal
Plumage
Chinese Coucal: dark brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; streaked in winter plumage; Asian species
Jamaican Lizard-cuckoo
Plumage
Black-billed Cuckoo: olive-brown above; white below; black bill; long dark tail; white-buff tipped tail; North American migrant
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Andaman Coucal (Centropus andamanensis) — 42–47 cm. Chestnut back and wings; black head and underparts; long graduated tail. Endemic to the Andaman Islands, India, in forest and scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Previously treated as a subspecies of Greater Coucal.
Jamaican Lizard-cuckoo (Coccyzus vetula) — 37–42 cm. Brown above; cinnamon-buff underparts; long tail with bold white tips; bare red orbital skin. Endemic to Jamaica in forest and wooded scrub. Non-parasitic; specialised lizard hunter, hence the name. Also eats large insects and small vertebrates.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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