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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Black-hooded Coucal
Song
Loud, booming call with deep resonance; powerful notes carrying across humid West African lowland forest.
African Cuckoo
Song
Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Critically Endangered
Black-hooded Coucal
Least Concern
African Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Black-hooded Coucal
Plumage
Kai Coucal: dark brown above with iridescent sheen; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; orange-red eye; Kai island endemic
African Cuckoo
Plumage
African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Black-hooded Coucal (Centropus steerii) — 40–45 cm. Rufous-chestnut body; entirely black head and upper breast; long tail. Endemic to Mindoro island, Philippines, in lowland forest and scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Vulnerable; tiny range and threatened by deforestation and hunting.
African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 32–35 cm. Very similar to Common Cuckoo; grey above; barred below; yellow bill base and orbital ring; long tail. Migratory intra-African breeder across sub-Saharan woodland and savanna. Brood parasite primarily targeting fork-tailed drongos. Insectivore.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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