Olive-capped Coua vs African Cuckoo
Coua olivaceiceps compared with Cuculus gularis
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Olive-capped Coua | African Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Coua olivaceiceps | Cuculus gularis |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 32.9 cm (13.0 in) | 41.8 cm (16.5 in) |
| Weight | 182.0 g (6.42 oz) | 105.0 g (3.70 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 1-3 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Olive-capped Coua
Loud, harsh resonant call; penetrating notes carrying through tropical forest habitat in South Asia.
African Cuckoo
Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Conservation Status
Olive-capped Coua
African Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Olive-capped Coua
African Cuckoo
African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common
About These Birds
Olive-capped Coua
Olive-capped Coua (Coua olivaceiceps) — 40–44 cm. Grey-brown with an olive-grey cap replacing the rufous cap of the related Red-capped Coua; bare blue orbital skin. Inhabits the southern semi-arid zone of Madagascar. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Sometimes treated as a subspecies of Red-capped Coua.
African Cuckoo
African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 32–35 cm. Very similar to Common Cuckoo; grey above; barred below; yellow bill base and orbital ring; long tail. Migratory intra-African breeder across sub-Saharan woodland and savanna. Brood parasite primarily targeting fork-tailed drongos. Insectivore.