Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Hierococcyx nisicolor

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Hierococcyx nisicolor
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 35.2 cm (13.9 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 81.1 g (2.86 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Whistling Hawk-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.

Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call; harsh penetrating notes building in rapid excited sequence from forest perch. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Whistling Hawk-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

Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo

Plumage

Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo: gray-brown above; pale below with rufous barring; hawk-mimic; long barred tail; yellow eye-ring; distinctive whistle

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.

Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo

Whistling Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx nisicolor) — 28–31 cm. Grey-brown above; pale below with rufous streaking; barred tail. Inhabits montane forest from the eastern Himalayas through Southeast Asia to China. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Named for its loud, persistent whistle.

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