Black-throated Coucal vs Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Centropus leucogaster compared with Morococcyx erythropygus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-throated Coucal | Lesser Ground-cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Centropus leucogaster | Morococcyx erythropygus |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 39.2 cm (15.4 in) | 19.8 cm (7.8 in) |
| Weight | 309.0 g (10.90 oz) | 66.6 g (2.35 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Black-throated Coucal only
Lesser Ground-cuckoo only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Black-throated Coucal
Deep, hollow resonant booming call; powerful low notes carrying across rainforest in Southeast Asia.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
Conservation Status
Black-throated Coucal
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-throated Coucal
White-elbowed Coucal: white elbow patch; dark brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; white elbow spot
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
About These Birds
Black-throated Coucal
Black-throated Coucal (Centropus leucogaster) — 40–46 cm. Rufous above; black head, throat, and breast; white belly; long tail. Inhabits dense forest and secondary growth in West and Central Africa. Non-parasitic. Omnivore; secretive in dense undergrowth.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
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.