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Song & Call Comparison
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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.
Western Koel
Song
Loud, far-carrying nasal call; distinctive penetrating notes audible through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Ash-colored Cuckoo
Least Concern
Western Koel
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Ash-colored Cuckoo
Plumage
Levaillant's Cuckoo: brown-streaked above; white streaked below; long dark tail; large pale crest; African crested cuckoo species
Western Koel
Plumage
Shining Bronze-cuckoo: brilliant iridescent golden-green above; white barred below; bronze-green head; reddish eye; small size
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
Western Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) — 39–46 cm. Male glossy black; female brown with white spots and barred underparts; red eye. Widespread from South Asia through mainland Southeast Asia. Brood parasite targeting crows and mynas. Frugivore and insectivore. Its rising wailing call heralds the Indian summer.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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