Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Madagascar Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Cuculus rochii

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Madagascar Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Cuculus rochii
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 32.7 cm (12.9 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 62.0 g (2.19 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Madagascar 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.

Madagascar Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in Madagascar.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Madagascar 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

Madagascar Cuckoo

Plumage

Madagascar Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; Madagascar migratory 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.

Madagascar Cuckoo

Madagascar Cuckoo (Cuculus rochii) — 26–29 cm. Grey above; barred underparts; yellow orbital ring. Summer visitor to Madagascar; winters to East Africa. Brood parasite targeting Madagascar warblers and other small passerines. Insectivore. The only truly migratory cuckoo of the Western Indian Ocean region.

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