Andaman Coucal vs Red-chested Cuckoo

Centropus andamanensis compared with Cuculus solitarius

Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Andaman Coucal Red-chested Cuckoo
Scientific Name Centropus andamanensis Cuculus solitarius
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Least Concern
Length
Wingspan 34.5 cm (13.6 in) 37.5 cm (14.8 in)
Weight 199.0 g (7.02 oz) 75.83333333333333 g (2.67 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size 2-3 --
Population Trend

Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Andaman Coucal only

Red-chested Cuckoo only

None

Song & Call Comparison

Andaman Coucal

Song

Melodic, whistled phrase with clear quality; pure resonant notes carrying across African woodland habitat.

Red-chested Cuckoo

Song

Loud, haunting call with mournful quality; deep resonant notes echoing through dense African forest.

Conservation Status

Least Concern

Andaman Coucal

Least Concern

Red-chested Cuckoo

How to Tell Them Apart

Andaman Coucal

Red-chested Cuckoo

Plumage

Red-chested Cuckoo: gray above; rufous-orange breast; white belly; long dark graduated tail; red eye; bold rufous chest diagnostic

About These Birds

Andaman Coucal

Andaman Coucal (Centropus andamanensis) — 42–47 cm. Chestnut back and wings; black head and underparts; long graduated tail. Endemic to the Andaman Islands, India, in forest and scrub. Non-parasitic. Omnivore. Previously treated as a subspecies of Greater Coucal.

Red-chested Cuckoo

Red-chested Cuckoo (Cuculus solitarius) — 28–32 cm. Grey above; orange-rufous breast; barred white belly; long tail; yellow orbital ring. Widespread in forest, woodland, and dense scrub across sub-Saharan Africa. Brood parasite targeting robin-chats and thrushes. Insectivore. Its three-note call — 'piet-my-vrou' in Afrikaans — is iconic.

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