Dark-billed Cuckoo vs African Cuckoo
Coccyzus melacoryphus compared with Cuculus gularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dark-billed Cuckoo | African Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coccyzus melacoryphus | Cuculus gularis |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.3 cm (9.2 in) | 41.8 cm (16.5 in) |
| Weight | 53.125 g (1.87 oz) | 105.0 g (3.70 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2-4 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Loud, harsh raucous call; piercing rough notes carrying powerfully through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
African Cuckoo
Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Conservation Status
Dark-billed Cuckoo
African Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Striped Cuckoo (Tapera): white below with dark streaks; boldly streaked brown above; long white-tipped tail; pale supercilium; slim
African Cuckoo
African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common
About These Birds
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus) — 26–30 cm. Brown above; pale buff below; dark bill without yellow lower mandible; tail with white spots. Widespread from Colombia south to Argentina; migratory populations reach the Galápagos. Non-parasitic. Insectivore; forages in dense vegetation.
African Cuckoo
African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 32–35 cm. Very similar to Common Cuckoo; grey above; barred below; yellow bill base and orbital ring; long tail. Migratory intra-African breeder across sub-Saharan woodland and savanna. Brood parasite primarily targeting fork-tailed drongos. Insectivore.