Black-faced Coucal vs Guira Cuckoo
Centropus melanops compared with Guira guira
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black-faced Coucal | Guira Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Centropus melanops | Guira guira |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 31.8 cm (12.5 in) | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 219.75 g (7.75 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 | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Black-faced Coucal
Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; piercing notes carrying far across tall African forest habitat.
Guira Cuckoo
Loud, gurgling call with hollow quality; distinctive multi-tonal sound carrying across open African savanna.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black-faced Coucal
Guira Cuckoo
Found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes from Brazil to Argentina. Resident and gregarious.
Conservation Status
Black-faced Coucal
Guira Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Black-faced Coucal
Bay Coucal: rich rufous-brown all over; rufous wings; pale buff-white below; long dark tail; red eye; bright uniformly rufous bird
Guira Cuckoo
Broad-billed Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; broadly barred white below; wide bars; reddish eye; Australian bronze cuckoo
About These Birds
Black-faced Coucal
Black-faced Coucal (Centropus melanops) — 38–44 cm. Chestnut-rufous wings and back; black head, face, and underparts; long tail. Endemic to the Philippines (Mindanao and satellite islands) in grassland, scrub, and forest edge. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Status considered Vulnerable due to rapid habitat conversion.
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.