Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Red-chested Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Cuculus solitarius

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Red-chested Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Cuculus solitarius
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 37.5 cm (14.8 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 75.83333333333333 g (2.67 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Red-chested 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.

Red-chested Cuckoo

Song

Loud, haunting call with mournful quality; deep resonant notes echoing through dense African forest.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Red-chested 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

Red-chested Cuckoo

Plumage

Red-chested Cuckoo: gray above; rufous-orange breast; white belly; long dark graduated tail; red eye; bold rufous chest diagnostic

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.

Red-chested Cuckoo

Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) — 28–32 cm. Grey above; orange-rufous breast; barred white belly; long tail; yellow orbital ring. Widespread in forest, woodland, and dense scrub across sub-Saharan Africa. Brood parasite targeting robin-chats and thrushes. Insectivore. Its three-note call — 'piet-my-vrou' in Afrikaans — is iconic.

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