Short-toed Coucal vs Sulawesi Cuckoo

Centropus rectunguis compared with Cuculus crassirostris

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Short-toed Coucal Sulawesi Cuckoo
Scientific Name Centropus rectunguis Cuculus crassirostris
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Vulnerable Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 32.0 cm (12.6 in) 41.2 cm (16.2 in)
Weight 200.625 g (7.08 oz) 85.0 g (3.00 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2 --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Short-toed Coucal only

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Short-toed Coucal

Song

Deep, hollow booming call; resonant low notes carrying across dense humid West African lowland forest.

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Short-toed Coucal

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Short-toed Coucal

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Plumage

Sulawesi Cuckoo: dark gray-brown above; pale below; long dark tail; yellow orbital ring; Sulawesi endemic; larger than most Cuculus

About These Birds

Short-toed 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.

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Sulawesi Cuckoo (Cuculus crassirostris) — 30–34 cm. Dark grey above; pale below with bold brown-grey barring; heavier bill than most Cuculus. Endemic to Sulawesi in montane forest. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Poorly known.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family