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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Giant Coua
Song
Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; piercing rough notes carrying far through dense forest habitat.
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
Giant 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
Giant Coua
Plumage
Coral-billed Ground-cuckoo: dark green above; bright coral-red bill; rufous below; blue orbital skin; long tail; vivid bill diagnostic
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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Giant Coua (Coua gigas) — 58–62 cm. Largest coua; grey-brown above; vinous-buff below; bare blue orbital skin; massive heavy bill; long tail. Found in western dry deciduous forests of Madagascar. Non-parasitic; feeds on the ground and in trees. Omnivore; takes large invertebrates, lizards, and fruits. Declining due to forest loss.
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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