Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Himalayan Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Cuculus saturatus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Himalayan Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Cuculus saturatus
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 36.5 cm (14.4 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 94.86666666666667 g (3.35 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- 1
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Himalayan 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.

Himalayan Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying call; resonant notes given from tall Himalayan forest canopy at dawn. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Himalayan 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

Himalayan Cuckoo

Plumage

Himalayan Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; Himalayan high-altitude 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.

Himalayan Cuckoo

Himalayan Cuckoo (Cuculus saturatus) — 31–33 cm. Grey above; warm buff-barred underparts; yellow orbital ring; long tail. Breeds in Himalayan and Chinese mountain forest; winters to Southeast Asia. Brood parasite targeting bush-warblers. Insectivore.

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