Lesser Cuckoo vs Guira Cuckoo
Cuculus poliocephalus compared with Guira guira
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Cuckoo | Guira Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Cuculus poliocephalus | Guira guira |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 30.8 cm (12.1 in) | 34.7 cm (13.7 in) |
| Weight | 51.5 g (1.82 oz) | 141.73333333333335 g (5.00 oz) |
| Diet | -- | Omnivore of open South American country; eats large insects, small frogs, lizards, and bird eggs. … |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Lesser Cuckoo
Loud, far-carrying call; penetrating resonant notes given repeatedly from dense African forest canopy.
Guira Cuckoo
Loud, gurgling call with hollow quality; distinctive multi-tonal sound carrying across open African savanna.
Geographic Range & Migration
Lesser Cuckoo
Guira Cuckoo
Found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes from Brazil to Argentina. Resident and gregarious.
Conservation Status
Lesser Cuckoo
Guira Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; slender; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; smaller than Common Cuckoo
Guira Cuckoo
Broad-billed Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; broadly barred white below; wide bars; reddish eye; Australian bronze cuckoo
About These Birds
Lesser Cuckoo
Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) — 25–28 cm. Grey above; whitish below with black barring; yellow orbital ring; long tail. Migratory; breeds across South and East Asia from Afghanistan to Japan; winters to East Africa and South Asia. Brood parasite targeting warblers. Insectivore.
Guira Cuckoo
A distinctive, socially gregarious cuckoo (36-42 cm) found in open habitats across South America east of the Andes. Shaggy orange-rufous crest, streaked plumage, and long tail. Omnivore, feeding on insects, small vertebrates, and eggs. Often seen in noisy family groups.