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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
African Emerald Cuckoo
Song
Deep, hollow resonant booming call; powerful low notes carrying far through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo
Song
Deep, resonant call with hollow quality; powerful low-frequency notes carrying across humid tropical forest.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
African Emerald Cuckoo
Least Concern
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
African Emerald Cuckoo
Plumage
New Caledonian Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; barred white below; island endemic; red eye; iridescent bronze-green; small size
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo
Plumage
Dark-billed Cuckoo: dark bill; dark brown above; pale buff below; graduated tail; South American cuckoo; black bill diagnostic
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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African Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx cupreus) — 20–22 cm. Male: dazzling emerald green above and on breast; yellow belly; red bill. Female: bronze-green above; rufous-barred below. Inhabits primary forest and dense secondary growth across West and Central Africa. Brood parasite targeting sunbirds and other small passerines. Insectivore.
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini) — 38–44 cm. Brown above; pale buff below; bare red orbital skin; long graduated tail with white tips. Endemic to Cuba and nearby islands. Non-parasitic; a specialist predator of lizards (Anolis and others). Also takes large insects.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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