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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo
Song
Deep, resonant call with hollow quality; powerful low-frequency notes carrying across humid tropical forest.
Western Koel
Song
Loud, far-carrying nasal call; distinctive penetrating notes audible through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo
Least Concern
Western Koel
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Cuban Lizard-cuckoo
Plumage
Dark-billed Cuckoo: dark bill; dark brown above; pale buff below; graduated tail; South American cuckoo; black bill diagnostic
Western Koel
Plumage
Shining Bronze-cuckoo: brilliant iridescent golden-green above; white barred below; bronze-green head; reddish eye; small size
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
Western Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) — 39–46 cm. Male glossy black; female brown with white spots and barred underparts; red eye. Widespread from South Asia through mainland Southeast Asia. Brood parasite targeting crows and mynas. Frugivore and insectivore. Its rising wailing call heralds the Indian summer.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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