Great Spotted Cuckoo vs Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Clamator glandarius compared with Morococcyx erythropygus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Great Spotted Cuckoo | Lesser Ground-cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Clamator glandarius | Morococcyx erythropygus |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 38.8 cm (15.3 in) | 19.8 cm (7.8 in) |
| Weight | 145.95000000000002 g (5.15 oz) | 66.6 g (2.35 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 15-23 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Song & Call Comparison
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Loud, bubbling resonant call; rich liquid notes cascading in sequence from forest perch in Africa. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
Conservation Status
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Red-faced Malkoha: dark green-black above; pale below; brilliant red bare facial skin; long dark tail; Philippine endemic red face
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
About These Birds
Great Spotted Cuckoo
Great Spotted Cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) — 38–42 cm. Grey crest; white-spotted dark upperparts; pale underparts; long tail. Migratory breeder in southern Europe and western Asia; winters in Africa. Brood parasite primarily targeting magpies and crows. Insectivore feeding on hairy caterpillars and invertebrates.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Lesser Ground-cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) — 28 cm. Brown above; chestnut rump; whitish underparts; bare blue orbital skin. Inhabits dry and semi-arid scrub from Mexico to Costa Rica. Non-parasitic; builds its own nest in low shrubs. Runs on the ground hunting large insects, lizards, and amphibians. Monotypic genus endemic to Mesoamerica.