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Song & Call Comparison
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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.
Black-billed Koel
Song
Loud, resonant call with musical quality; rich carrying notes given from tall forest tree in Borneo.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
African Cuckoo
Not Evaluated
Black-billed Koel
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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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
Black-billed Koel
Plumage
Golden Bronze-cuckoo: golden-bronze iridescence; white barred underparts; golden-green head; bronze sheen; small Pacific cuckoo
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
Black-billed Koel (Eudynamys melanorhynchus) — 38–44 cm. Male glossy black with a dark bill (unlike related koels with pale bills); female similar to Western Koel female. Endemic to Sulawesi and Sula Islands in Indonesia. Brood parasite; hosts include corvids. Frugivore and insectivore.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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