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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Madagascar Cuckoo
Song
Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in Madagascar.
Western Koel
Song
Loud, far-carrying nasal call; distinctive penetrating notes audible through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Madagascar Cuckoo
Least Concern
Western Koel
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Madagascar Cuckoo
Plumage
Madagascar Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; Madagascar migratory species
Western Koel
Plumage
Shining Bronze-cuckoo: brilliant iridescent golden-green above; white barred below; bronze-green head; reddish eye; small size
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Madagascar Cuckoo (Cuculus rochii) — 26–29 cm. Grey above; barred underparts; yellow orbital ring. Summer visitor to Madagascar; winters to East Africa. Brood parasite targeting Madagascar warblers and other small passerines. Insectivore. The only truly migratory cuckoo of the Western Indian Ocean region.
Western Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) — 39–46 cm. Male glossy black; female brown with white spots and barred underparts; red eye. Widespread from South Asia through mainland Southeast Asia. Brood parasite targeting crows and mynas. Frugivore and insectivore. Its rising wailing call heralds the Indian summer.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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