Whistling Yellowbill vs Guira Cuckoo
Ceuthmochares australis compared with Guira guira
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Whistling Yellowbill | Guira Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Ceuthmochares australis | Guira guira |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 24.4 cm (9.6 in) | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 64.2 g (2.26 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 | 1-4 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Whistling Yellowbill
Loud, harsh call with penetrating quality; rough resonant notes carrying through dense forest habitat.
Guira Cuckoo
Loud, gurgling call with hollow quality; distinctive multi-tonal sound carrying across open African savanna.
Geographic Range & Migration
Whistling Yellowbill
Guira Cuckoo
Found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes from Brazil to Argentina. Resident and gregarious.
Conservation Status
Whistling Yellowbill
Guira Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Whistling Yellowbill
Blue Coua: brilliant turquoise-blue overall; darker wings; bare facial skin; long graduated tail; Madagascar endemic; spectacular blue
Guira Cuckoo
Broad-billed Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; broadly barred white below; wide bars; reddish eye; Australian bronze cuckoo
About These Birds
Whistling Yellowbill
Whistling Yellowbill (Ceuthmochares australis) — 30–35 cm. Very similar to Chattering Yellowbill — grey plumage; yellow bill; long tail — but distinguished by its melodic whistled song rather than chattering calls. Found in forest and forest edge in East and Southeast Africa from Kenya to Mozambique. Non-parasitic. Insectivore.
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.