Black Cuckoo vs Guira Cuckoo
Cuculus clamosus compared with Guira guira
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Black Cuckoo | Guira Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cuculus clamosus | Guira guira |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 36.2 cm (14.3 in) | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 86.86666666666667 g (3.06 oz) | 141.73333333333335 g (5.00 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Omnivore of open South American country; eats large insects, small frogs, lizards, and bird eggs. … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Black Cuckoo
Loud, nasal call with bubbling quality; distinctive resonant notes carrying through dense African forest.
Guira Cuckoo
Loud, gurgling call with hollow quality; distinctive multi-tonal sound carrying across open African savanna.
Geographic Range & Migration
Black Cuckoo
Guira Cuckoo
Found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes from Brazil to Argentina. Resident and gregarious.
Conservation Status
Black Cuckoo
Guira Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Black Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo: all glossy black; red eye; occasionally rufous undertail; slender; long dark tail; sexually monomorphic dark plumage
Guira Cuckoo
Broad-billed Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; broadly barred white below; wide bars; reddish eye; Australian bronze cuckoo
About These Birds
Black Cuckoo
Black Cuckoo (Cuculus clamosus) — 28–32 cm. Entirely glossy black; slender build; long tail; slightly decurved bill. Inhabits forest, woodland, and dense savanna across sub-Saharan Africa. Brood parasite targeting bulbuls, shrikes, and other passerines. Insectivore; specialises in hairy caterpillars. Identified by its mournful 'I'm so sad' call.
Guira Cuckoo
A distinctive, socially gregarious cuckoo (36-42 cm) found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes. Shaggy orange-rufous crest, streaked plumage, and long tail. Omnivore, feeding on insects, small vertebrates, and eggs. Often seen in noisy family groups.