Dark-billed Cuckoo vs Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Coccyzus melacoryphus compared with Neomorphus rufipennis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Dark-billed Cuckoo | Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coccyzus melacoryphus | Neomorphus rufipennis |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 23.3 cm (9.2 in) | 34.1 cm (13.4 in) |
| Weight | 53.125 g (1.87 oz) | 381.25 g (13.45 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.
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful low-frequency sound carrying across dense lowland tropical forest floor.
Conservation Status
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Rufous-winged Ground-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
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Pheasant Coucal: dark glossy black head and body; rufous-brown wings; strongly barred dark tail; reddish eye; terrestrial habits
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.
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.