Little Cuckoo vs Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Coccycua minuta compared with Morococcyx erythropygus
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Little Cuckoo | Lesser Ground-cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coccycua minuta | Morococcyx erythropygus |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 21.2 cm (8.3 in) | 19.8 cm (7.8 in) |
| Weight | 37.5 g (1.32 oz) | 66.6 g (2.35 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2 | 2 |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Shared Habitats
None
Little Cuckoo only
Lesser Ground-cuckoo only
None
Song & Call Comparison
Little Cuckoo
Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful notes carrying across dense tropical forest in Southeast Asia. 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
Little Cuckoo
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Little Cuckoo
Thick-billed Cuckoo: heavy bill; dark brown above; pale buff below; graduated dark tail; Old World forest cuckoo; robust bill
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
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.
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.