Sulawesi Cuckoo vs Red-billed Malkoha

Cuculus crassirostris compared with Zanclostomus javanicus

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Sulawesi Cuckoo Red-billed Malkoha
Scientific Name Cuculus crassirostris Zanclostomus javanicus
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 41.2 cm (16.2 in) 28.8 cm (11.3 in)
Weight 85.0 g (3.00 oz) 115.5 g (4.07 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Sulawesi Cuckoo only

None

Red-billed Malkoha 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.

Red-billed Malkoha

Song

Sharp, staccato chip note; clean emphatic sound repeated rhythmically from dense tropical scrub habitat.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Sulawesi Cuckoo

Least Concern

Red-billed Malkoha

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

Red-billed Malkoha

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.

Red-billed Malkoha

Red-billed Malkoha (Zanclostomus javanicus) — 38–44 cm. Blue-green above with a rufous belly; bright red bill and bare red orbital skin; long white-tipped tail. Inhabits primary and tall secondary forest of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Java. Non-parasitic. Insectivore feeding on large caterpillars and invertebrates.

More Birds to Explore

Explore the Nature FYI Family