Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Oriental Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Cuculus optatus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Oriental Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Cuculus optatus
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 102.26666666666667 g (3.61 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- 1-2
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Oriental Cuckoo only

Song & Call Comparison

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.

Oriental Cuckoo

Song

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

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Oriental Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Plumage

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

Oriental Cuckoo

Plumage

Oriental Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; broad barring; Asian migrant species

About These Birds

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.

Oriental Cuckoo

Oriental Cuckoo (Cuculus optatus) — 30–33 cm. Grey above; barred white underparts; yellow orbital ring; long tail. Widespread breeder across Siberia, Russia, and northeast Asia; winters to Southeast Asia and Australia. Brood parasite targeting warblers and flycatchers. Insectivore. Long-distance migratory cuckoo.

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