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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.
Black Cuckoo
Song
Loud, nasal call with bubbling quality; distinctive resonant notes carrying through dense African forest.
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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
Black 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
Black Cuckoo
Plumage
Black Cuckoo: all glossy black; red eye; occasionally rufous undertail; slender; long dark tail; sexually monomorphic dark plumage
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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.
Black Cuckoo (Cuculus clamosus) — 28–32 cm. Entirely glossy black; slender build; long tail; slightly decurved bill. Inhabits forest, woodland, and dense savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Brood parasite targeting bulbuls, shrikes, and other passerines. Insectivore; specialises in hairy caterpillars. Identified by its mournful 'I'm so sad' call.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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