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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Andaman Coucal
Song
Melodic, whistled phrase with clear quality; pure resonant notes carrying across African woodland habitat.
Short-toed Coucal
Song
Deep, hollow booming call; resonant low notes carrying across dense humid West African lowland forest.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Andaman Coucal
Vulnerable
Short-toed Coucal
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Andaman Coucal
Plumage
Chinese Coucal: dark brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; streaked in winter plumage; Asian species
Short-toed Coucal
Plumage
Mangrove Coucal: dark glossy brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long graduated tail; red eye; mangrove forest specialist
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Andaman Coucal (Centropus andamanensis) — 42–47 cm. Chestnut back and wings; black head and underparts; long graduated tail. Endemic to the Andaman Islands, India, in forest and scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Previously treated as a subspecies of Greater Coucal.
Short-toed Coucal (Centropus rectunguis) — 35–40 cm. Rufous-brown with a black head; noticeably shorter tail than most coucals; heavy bill. Inhabits lowland and hill forest of the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and Sumatra. Non-parasitic; builds a domed nest. Omnivore hunting large insects and small vertebrates. Vulnerable due to forest loss.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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