Lesser Coucal vs Guira Cuckoo
Centropus bengalensis compared with Guira guira
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Coucal | Guira Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Centropus bengalensis | Guira guira |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.9 cm (12.2 in) | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 172.075 g (6.07 oz) | 141.73333333333335 g (5.00 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Omnivore of open South American country; eats large insects, small frogs, lizards, and bird eggs. … |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Lesser Coucal
Loud, raucous call with harsh nasal quality; piercing notes carrying far through dense Madagascar forest.
Guira Cuckoo
Loud, gurgling call with hollow quality; distinctive multi-tonal sound carrying across open African savanna.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lesser Coucal
Guira Cuckoo
Found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes from Brazil to Argentina. Resident and gregarious.
Conservation Status
Lesser Coucal
Guira Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Coucal
Black Coucal: all glossy black; red eye; shorter tail; females have rufous wash; strongly sexually dimorphic plumage
Guira Cuckoo
Broad-billed Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; broadly barred white below; wide bars; reddish eye; Australian bronze cuckoo
About These Birds
Lesser Coucal
Lesser Coucal (Centropus bengalensis) — 33–38 cm. Streaked brown above with a rufous wing panel; pale buff underparts; graduated tail. Widespread from India through Southeast Asia and China; inhabits grassland, scrub, and forest edges. Non-parasitic. Insectivore and small vertebrate predator. Smaller and more grass-dwelling than related species.
Guira Cuckoo
A distinctive, socially gregarious cuckoo (36-42 cm) found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes. Shaggy orange-rufous crest, streaked plumage, and long tail. Omnivore, feeding on insects, small vertebrates, and eggs. Often seen in noisy family groups.