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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.
Lesser Roadrunner
Song
Loud, call carrying far; distinctive hollow notes audible across dry open Central American terrain. 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
African Cuckoo
Least Concern
Lesser Roadrunner
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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
Lesser Roadrunner
Plumage
Rufous-vented Ground-cuckoo: rich rufous below; dark olive-brown above; blue orbital ring; rufous vent; long tail; ground dweller
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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.
Lesser Roadrunner (Geococcyx velox) — 46–52 cm. Similar to Greater Roadrunner but smaller with a more streaked breast. Found in dry scrub, open woodland, and arid valleys from Mexico to Nicaragua. Non-parasitic; carnivorous; eats insects and small vertebrates. Shares the same terrestrial running lifestyle as its northern relative.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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