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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Crested Coua
Song
Loud, far-carrying melodic call with resonant quality; clear rich notes audible through dense humid forest.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Song
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Crested Coua
Least Concern
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Crested Coua
Plumage
Bengal Coucal: dark brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long dark tail; red eye; common Asian coucal; widespread
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Plumage
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Crested Coua (Coua cristata) — 42–44 cm. Grey-brown above; whitish below with vinous breast; prominent erect crest; vivid bare blue orbital patch. Common in western and southern Madagascar in dry deciduous forest, scrub, and spiny thickets. Non-parasitic; builds a small open nest. Omnivore; eats insects, chameleons, fruits, and seeds.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) — 28 cm. Brown above; chestnut rump; whitish underparts; bare blue orbital skin. Inhabits dry and semi-arid scrub from Mexico to Costa Rica. Non-parasitic; builds its own nest in low shrubs. Runs on the ground hunting large insects, lizards, and amphibians. Monotypic genus endemic to Mesoamerica.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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