Cocos Cuckoo vs Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Coccyzus ferrugineus compared with Neomorphus rufipennis

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Cocos Cuckoo Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Scientific Name Coccyzus ferrugineus Neomorphus rufipennis
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Vulnerable Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 25.9 cm (10.2 in) 34.1 cm (13.4 in)
Weight 70.0 g (2.47 oz) 381.25 g (13.45 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 1-2 --
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Cocos Cuckoo only

None

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo only

None

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Song & Call Comparison

Cocos Cuckoo

Song

Loud, resonant melodic call; rich notes building in musical sequence through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Song

Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful low-frequency sound carrying across dense lowland tropical forest floor.

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Conservation Status

Vulnerable

Cocos Cuckoo

Least Concern

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Cocos Cuckoo

Plumage

Black-bellied Cuckoo: rufous above; black belly; white throat; red orbital ring; long rufous tail; yellow-green bill; neotropical

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Plumage

Pheasant Coucal: dark glossy black head and body; rufous-brown wings; strongly barred dark tail; reddish eye; terrestrial habits

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About These Birds

Cocos Cuckoo

Cocos Cuckoo (Coccyzus ferrugineus) — 31–35 cm. Richly rufous-brown above; cinnamon-buff below; graduated tail; yellow lower mandible. Endemic to Cocos Island, Costa Rica (a UNESCO World Heritage Site). Non-parasitic. Insectivore. Vulnerable due to its extremely restricted range and introduced predators.

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo (Neomorphus rufipennis) — 46–50 cm. Bronze-green above; rufous wing panels; pale buff below. Found in humid forest of Venezuela, Guyana, and northern Brazil. Non-parasitic; follows army ants. Insectivore and small vertebrate predator. Rarely encountered; Near Threatened.

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