Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Black-bellied Cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Piaya melanogaster

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Black-bellied Cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Piaya melanogaster
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 27.0 cm (10.6 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 102.4 g (3.61 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Black-bellied 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.

Black-bellied Cuckoo

Song

Loud, resonant call with nasal quality; carrying notes given from forest perch in Southeast Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Black-bellied 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

Black-bellied Cuckoo

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.

Black-bellied Cuckoo

Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) — 35–40 cm. Rufous above; jet-black belly; greenish bill; long tail. Inhabits humid Amazonian forest and tall secondary growth. Non-parasitic. Insectivore; forages in the mid-storey and canopy. Less common than the Squirrel Cuckoo; restricted to lowland Amazonia.

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