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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute	Pheasant Cuckoo	Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Scientific Name	Dromococcyx phasianellus	Neomorphus rufipennis
Order	Cuculiformes	Cuculiformes
Family	Cuculidae	Cuculidae
Conservation Status	Least Concern	Least Concern
Length	—	—
Wingspan	32.6 cm (12.8 in)	34.1 cm (13.4 in)
Weight	88.48333333333333 g (3.12 oz)	381.25 g (13.45 oz)
Diet	--	--
Clutch Size	--	--
Population Trend	—	—

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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

🌲 Forest

Pheasant Cuckoo only

None

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo only

None

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Song & Call Comparison

Pheasant Cuckoo

Song

Deep, guttural croaking call; resonant low notes carrying across open South American tropical forest edge.

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Song

Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful low-frequency sound carrying across dense lowland tropical forest floor.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Pheasant Cuckoo

Least Concern

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Pheasant Cuckoo

Plumage

Dromococcyx pheasant cuckoo: richly barred rufous and brown above; pale buff below; long graduated rufous-barred tail; peacock-eye pattern

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Plumage

Pheasant Coucal: dark glossy black head and body; rufous-brown wings; strongly barred dark tail; reddish eye; terrestrial habits

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About These Birds

Pheasant Cuckoo

Pheasant Cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus) — 35–40 cm. Streaked brown; long graduated rufous tail barred black; pale buff below. Humid tropical forest from Mexico to Bolivia and Brazil. Brood parasite targeting antbirds and small passerines. Skulking; rarely observed despite its loud whistled song. Insectivore.

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo

Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo (Neomorphus rufipennis) — 46–50 cm. Bronze-green above; rufous wing panels; pale buff below. Found in humid forest of Venezuela, Guyana, and northern Brazil. Non-parasitic; follows army ants. Insectivore and small vertebrate predator. Rarely encountered; Near Threatened.

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