Kai Coucal vs Sulawesi Cuckoo

Centropus spilopterus compared with Cuculus crassirostris

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Kai Coucal Sulawesi Cuckoo
Scientific Name Centropus spilopterus Cuculus crassirostris
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 46.6 cm (18.3 in) 41.2 cm (16.2 in)
Weight 244.4 g (8.62 oz) 85.0 g (3.00 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Kai Coucal only

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Kai Coucal

Song

Loud, far-carrying resonant call; deep hollow notes given repeatedly from tropical forest perch. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

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

Least Concern

Kai Coucal

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Kai 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

Kai Coucal

Kai Coucal (Centropus spilopterus) — 42–46 cm. Chestnut-rufous with spotted wing coverts; black head and tail; heavy bill. Endemic to the Kai Islands, Indonesia. Inhabits forest and dense scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Poorly known due to its remote island range.

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.

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