Ash-colored Cuckoo vs Indian Cuckoo

Coccycua cinerea compared with Cuculus micropterus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Ash-colored Cuckoo Indian Cuckoo
Scientific Name Coccycua cinerea Cuculus micropterus
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 22.0 cm (8.7 in) 39.3 cm (15.5 in)
Weight 43.760000000000005 g (1.54 oz) 120.5 g (4.25 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2-4 --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Ash-colored Cuckoo only

None

Indian Cuckoo only

Song & Call Comparison

Ash-colored Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying melodic call; rich resonant notes given from tall forest tree in Southeast Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Indian Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall dense forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Ash-colored Cuckoo

Least Concern

Indian Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Ash-colored Cuckoo

Indian Cuckoo

Plumage

Indian Cuckoo: gray above; white below with bold dark barring; four-note call; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; common Asian species

About These Birds

Ash-colored Cuckoo

Ash-colored Cuckoo (Coccycua cinerea) — 22–25 cm. Grey above; paler grey below; tail with white-tipped feathers; slim bill. Inhabits scrub, thorny forest, and dense secondary growth across southern South America from Bolivia and Brazil to Argentina. Non-parasitic. Insectivore.

Indian Cuckoo

Indian Cuckoo (Cuculus micropterus) — 32–34 cm. Grey above; barred underparts; yellow orbital ring; broad dark subterminal tail band. Migratory; widespread from India through Southeast Asia and China to Korea and Japan. Brood parasite targeting drongos and other medium passerines. Insectivore. Famous four-note 'one more bottle' call.

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