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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.
Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo
Song
Loud, raucous call; harsh penetrating notes building in rapid excited sequence from forest perch. 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
Andaman Coucal
Least Concern
Whistling Hawk-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
Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo
Plumage
Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo: gray-brown above; pale below with rufous barring; hawk-mimic; long barred tail; yellow eye-ring; distinctive whistle
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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.
Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx nisicolor) — 28–31 cm. Grey-brown above; pale below with rufous streaking; barred tail. Inhabits montane forest from the eastern Himalayas through Southeast Asia to China. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Named for its loud, persistent whistle.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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