{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Side-by-side Comparison Table ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	African Cuckoo	Eastern Koel
Scientific Name	Cuculus gularis	Eudynamys orientalis
Order	Cuculiformes	Cuculiformes
Family	Cuculidae	Cuculidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	—
Wingspan	41.8 cm (16.5 in)	42.0 cm (16.5 in)
Weight	105.0 g (3.70 oz)	239.33333333333334 g (8.44 oz)
Diet	--	--
Clutch Size	--	1
Population Trend	—	—

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Visual Size Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Habitat Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest

African Cuckoo only

None

Eastern Koel only

None

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Song & Call Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Song & Call Comparison

African Cuckoo

Song

Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

Eastern Koel

Song

Loud, far-carrying resonant call; deep musical notes audible through dense tropical forest in Sumatra.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Geographic Range & Migration ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Conservation Status Comparison ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

Conservation Status

Least Concern

African Cuckoo

Least Concern

Eastern Koel

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

How to Tell Them Apart

African Cuckoo

Plumage

African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common

Eastern Koel

Plumage

Rufous-throated Bronze-cuckoo: rufous throat contrasting bronze-green above; barred white below; small; distinctive rufous throat

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ About Each Bird (Descriptions) ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

About These Birds

African Cuckoo

African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 32–35 cm. Very similar to Common Cuckoo; grey above; barred below; yellow bill base and orbital ring; long tail. Migratory intra-African breeder across sub-Saharan woodland and savanna. Brood parasite primarily targeting fork-tailed drongos. Insectivore.

Eastern Koel

Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis) — 38–46 cm. Male glossy black; female brown with heavy spotting; pale green bill; red eye; long tail. Ranges across Southeast Asia, New Guinea, and Australia; migrates to Australia in spring. Brood parasite targeting magpies and friarbirds. Frugivore; disperses rainforest seeds.

{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ Related Comparisons ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #} {# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ More Birds in Family ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}

More Birds to Explore

More from Cuculidae

African Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cupreus Andaman Coucal Centropus andamanensis Ash-colored Cuckoo Coccycua cinerea Asian Emerald Cuckoo Chrysococcyx maculatus All Cuculidae birds →

Explore the Nature FYI Family

🧬 SpeciesFYI

Species & Taxonomy

🦕 DinoFYI

6,000+ Dinosaurs

🐟 FishFYI

Fish & Marine Life

🌿 PlantFYI

379,000+ Plants