Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Lesser Roadrunner

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Geococcyx velox

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Lesser Roadrunner
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Geococcyx velox
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 28.3 cm (11.1 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 184.1 g (6.49 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- 2-3
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

None

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

Lesser Roadrunner 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 Roadrunner

Song

Loud, call carrying far; distinctive hollow notes audible across dry open Central American terrain. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Lesser Roadrunner

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 Roadrunner

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 Roadrunner

Lesser Roadrunner (Geococcyx velox) — 46–52 cm. Similar to Greater Roadrunner but smaller with a more streaked breast. Found in dry scrub, open woodland, and arid valleys from Mexico to Nicaragua. Non-parasitic; carnivorous; eats insects and small vertebrates. Shares the same terrestrial running lifestyle as its northern relative.

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