Snail-eating Coua vs Sulawesi Cuckoo

Coua delalandei compared with Cuculus crassirostris

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Snail-eating Coua Sulawesi Cuckoo
Scientific Name Coua delalandei Cuculus crassirostris
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Extinct Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in)
Weight 110.0 g (3.88 oz) 85.0 g (3.00 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Snail-eating Coua only

None

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Snail-eating Coua

Song

Loud, far-carrying melodic call; rich clear resonant notes audible through tropical forest in Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Extinct

Snail-eating Coua

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Snail-eating Coua

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Plumage

Sulawesi Cuckoo: dark gray-brown above; pale below; long dark tail; yellow orbital ring; Sulawesi endemic; larger than most Cuculus

About These Birds

Snail-eating Coua

Snail-eating Coua (Coua delalandei) — ~55 cm. Extinct. Last recorded on Île Sainte-Marie, Madagascar, in the mid-19th century. Large terrestrial cuckoo; purplish-blue and brown plumage; bare blue orbital skin. Presumed a specialist predator of large land snails. Driven to extinction by hunting and introduced predators.

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Sulawesi Cuckoo (Cuculus crassirostris) — 30–34 cm. Dark grey above; pale below with bold brown-grey barring; heavier bill than most Cuculus. Endemic to Sulawesi in montane forest. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Poorly known.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family