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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Bay Coucal
Song
Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful low-frequency notes given from dense forest floor in Madagascar.
African Emerald Cuckoo
Song
Deep, hollow resonant booming call; powerful low notes carrying far through dense tropical forest. 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
Bay Coucal
Least Concern
African Emerald Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Bay Coucal
Plumage
Greater Coucal: glossy blue-black head and underparts; rich chestnut wings; red eye; long graduated black tail; common large coucal
African Emerald Cuckoo
Plumage
New Caledonian Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; barred white below; island endemic; red eye; iridescent bronze-green; small size
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Bay Coucal (Centropus celebensis) — 40–45 cm. Deep chestnut body; black head, long tail, and underparts; red eye. Endemic to Sulawesi and nearby islands in forest and scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore foraging in dense vegetation for lizards, large insects, and frogs.
African Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx cupreus) — 20–22 cm. Male: dazzling emerald green above and on breast; yellow belly; red bill. Female: bronze-green above; rufous-barred below. Inhabits primary forest and dense secondary growth across West and Central Africa. Brood parasite targeting sunbirds and other small passerines. Insectivore.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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