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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