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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
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.
Malay Hawk-Cuckoo
Song
Loud, harsh raucous call; penetrating rough notes given from forest canopy in Southeast Asia. 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
Western Koel
Least Concern
Malay Hawk-Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Western Koel
Plumage
Shining Bronze-cuckoo: brilliant iridescent golden-green above; white barred below; bronze-green head; reddish eye; small size
Malay Hawk-Cuckoo
Plumage
Malay Hawk-Cuckoo: gray-brown above; white below with rufous barring; hawk-like; long barred tail; yellow eye-ring; Malaysian species
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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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.
Malay Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx fugax) — 28–32 cm. Brown-grey above; rufous breast band; whitish barred belly; barred tail; yellow orbital ring. Inhabits forest of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Brood parasite targeting flycatchers and babblers. Insectivore.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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