Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Surniculus lugubris

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Surniculus lugubris
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length — —
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 23.8 cm (9.4 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 31.65 g (1.12 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend — —

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo only

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.

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call with harsh penetrating quality; rough notes given from tall forest tree. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Square-tailed Drongo-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

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo

Plumage

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo: glossy black; square-cut tail; drongo mimic; pale tail tips; red eye; southeast Asian drongo mimic

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.

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo

Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) — 24–27 cm. Glossy blue-black overall; white vent barring; square-cut tail. Inhabits forest from the Himalayas through the Malay Peninsula to Borneo and the Philippines. Brood parasite mimicking drongos to penetrate nesting territories. Insectivore.

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