Dark Hawk-Cuckoo vs Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo

Hierococcyx bocki compared with Hierococcyx vagans

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Side-by-Side Comparison

Attribute Dark Hawk-Cuckoo Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo
Scientific Name Hierococcyx bocki Hierococcyx vagans
Order Cuculiformes Cuculiformes
Family Cuculidae Cuculidae
Conservation Status Least Concern Near Threatened
Length
Wingspan 35.9 cm (14.1 in) 29.4 cm (11.6 in)
Weight 137.0 g (4.83 oz) 58.2 g (2.05 oz)
Diet -- --
Clutch Size -- --
Population Trend
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Habitat Comparison

Shared Habitats

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo only

None

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo only

None

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Song & Call Comparison

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in South Asia.

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo

Song

Loud, raucous accelerating call; harsh notes building quickly in urgency given from forest perch. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.

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Conservation Status

Least Concern

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Near Threatened

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo

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How to Tell Them Apart

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Plumage

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo: dark brown above; pale below with dense dark barring; hawk-like; long barred tail; yellow orbital ring; dark morph

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo

Plumage

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo: brown above; white below with rufous barring; moustachial stripe; hawk-like barred pattern; yellow eye-ring

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About These Birds

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo

Dark Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx bocki) — 28–31 cm. Dark grey above; pale below with darker streaking; barred tail. Restricted to montane forest of the Malay Peninsula. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Rare; poorly documented.

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo

Moustached Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx vagans) — 28–31 cm. Hawk-like; brown above; pale below with rufous-streaked breast; bold moustachial stripe; barred tail. Inhabits hill forest of the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, and Borneo. Brood parasite; mimics Accipiter sparrowhawks. Insectivore.

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