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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Pied Coucal
Song
Loud, far-carrying cooing call; deep resonant notes given repeatedly from tall forest tree in Africa.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Song
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Pied Coucal
Least Concern
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Pied Coucal
Plumage
Biak Coucal: dark brown above with iridescent gloss; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; Biak island endemic
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Plumage
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Pied Coucal (Centropus ateralbus) — 55–60 cm. Striking black-and-white coucal; glossy black wings and tail; pure white head, neck, and underparts. Restricted to New Britain and nearby islands (Papua New Guinea) in forest edge and secondary growth. Non-parasitic. Omnivore; hunts lizards, large insects, and small vertebrates. Status locally secure.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) — 28 cm. Brown above; chestnut rump; whitish underparts; bare blue orbital skin. Inhabits dry and semi-arid scrub from Mexico to Costa Rica. Non-parasitic; builds its own nest in low shrubs. Runs on the ground hunting large insects, lizards, and amphibians. Monotypic genus endemic to Mesoamerica.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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