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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Black-eared Cuckoo
Song
Deep, resonant call with hollow quality; powerful low notes carrying through dense forest in Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Song
Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in South Asia.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Black-eared Cuckoo
Least Concern
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Black-eared Cuckoo
Plumage
Horsfield's Bronze-cuckoo (alt): bronze-green above; narrow white bars below; incomplete barring; reddish eye; typical Australian
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Plumage
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo: dark brown above; pale below with dense dark barring; hawk-like; long barred tail; yellow orbital ring; dark morph
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Black-eared Cuckoo (Chalcites osculans) — 18–20 cm. Brown above with bronzy wash; distinctive black ear-patch; pale buff underparts with faint barring; white supercilium. Inhabits arid and semi-arid scrubland and mulga of inland Australia. Brood parasite targeting speckled warblers and other scrub-dwelling hosts. Insectivore.
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx bocki) — 28–31 cm. Dark grey above; pale below with darker streaking; barred tail. Restricted to montane forest of the Malay Peninsula. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Rare; poorly documented.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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