Little Cuckoo vs Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Coccycua minuta compared with Hierococcyx bocki

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Little Cuckoo Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Scientific Name Coccycua minuta Hierococcyx bocki
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 21.2 cm (8.3 in) 35.9 cm (14.1 in)
Weight 37.5 g (1.32 oz) 137.0 g (4.83 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2 --
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Little Cuckoo only

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo only

None

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Song & Call Comparison

Little Cuckoo

Song

Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful notes carrying across dense tropical forest in Southeast 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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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Little Cuckoo

Least Concern

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Little Cuckoo

Plumage

Thick-billed Cuckoo: heavy bill; dark brown above; pale buff below; graduated dark tail; Old World forest cuckoo; robust bill

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

Little Cuckoo

Little Cuckoo (Coccycua minuta) — 22–25 cm. Small; rufous above; pale buff underparts; short tail with white tips; slim body. Inhabits dense vegetation near water, mangroves, and forest edge across northern South America from Panama to Peru and Brazil. Non-parasitic. Insectivore.

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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