Jacobin Cuckoo vs Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Clamator jacobinus compared with Hierococcyx bocki

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Jacobin Cuckoo Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Scientific Name Clamator jacobinus Hierococcyx bocki
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 29.0 cm (11.4 in) 35.9 cm (14.1 in)
Weight 83.5 g (2.95 oz) 137.0 g (4.83 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Jacobin Cuckoo only

None

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo only

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Song & Call Comparison

Jacobin Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying call with raucous quality; harsh penetrating notes given from tall canopy tree. 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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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Jacobin Cuckoo

Least Concern

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Jacobin Cuckoo

Plumage

Scale-feathered Malkoha: scaly dark green above; buff below; bare red orbital skin; long dark tail; scaled feather texture distinctive

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 These Birds

Jacobin Cuckoo

Jacobin Cuckoo (Clamator jacobinus) — 31–34 cm. Bold black-and-white; black crest; white underparts and wing patch; long tail. Widespread from Africa through the Indian subcontinent. Brood parasite targeting babblers. Migratory in part of its range. Insectivore. Known as 'Pied Crested Cuckoo'; its monsoon-season arrival in South Asia is celebrated.

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

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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