Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Lesser Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Cuculus poliocephalus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Lesser Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Cuculus poliocephalus
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 30.8 cm (12.1 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 51.5 g (1.82 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Lesser Cuckoo only

None

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.

Lesser Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying call; penetrating resonant notes given repeatedly from dense African forest canopy.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Lesser 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

Lesser Cuckoo

Plumage

Lesser Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; slender; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; smaller than Common Cuckoo

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.

Lesser Cuckoo

Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) — 25–28 cm. Grey above; whitish below with black barring; yellow orbital ring; long tail. Migratory; breeds across South and East Asia from Afghanistan to Japan; winters to East Africa and South Asia. Brood parasite targeting warblers. Insectivore.

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