Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo vs Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Coccyzus pluvialis compared with Neomorphus rufipennis

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Scientific Name Coccyzus pluvialis Neomorphus rufipennis
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 35.5 cm (14.0 in) 34.1 cm (13.4 in)
Weight 159.5 g (5.63 oz) 381.25 g (13.45 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2-4 --
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo only

None

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo only

None

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Song & Call Comparison

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo

Song

Soft, descending whistled phrase; pure notes dropping gently in musical sequence from dense forest cover.

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

Least Concern

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo

Least Concern

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo

Plumage

Yellow-billed Cuckoo: olive-brown above; white below; yellow bill; rufous wing patches; white-spotted dark tail; North American

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

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo

Chestnut-bellied Cuckoo (Coccyzus pluvialis) — 45–50 cm. Large island cuckoo; brown above; rich chestnut-orange belly; long broad tail. Endemic to Jamaica in forest and woodland. Non-parasitic. Omnivore; eats large insects, lizards, and berries. The largest cuckoo in the Caribbean.

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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