{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Song & Call Comparison
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}
Song & Call Comparison
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Song
Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in South Asia.
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Song
Deep, hollow resonant booming; powerful low notes carrying through dense humid Southeast Asian forest.
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Geographic Range & Migration
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Conservation Status Comparison
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}
Conservation Status
Least Concern
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Least Concern
Thick-billed Cuckoo
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}
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
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Plumage
Long-tailed Koel: males blue-black; females barred brown; very long tail; red eye; Pacific island koel; strongly dimorphic
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
About Each Bird (Descriptions)
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}
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.
Thick-billed Cuckoo (Pachycoccyx audeberti) — 32–36 cm. Hawk-like; dark brown above; white below with fine dark streaking; thick, strongly curved bill. Inhabits woodland and savanna of East and Central Africa from Tanzania to Malawi and Mozambique. Brood parasite targeting helmet-shrikes (Prionops). Insectivore. Rare and locally distributed.
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Related Comparisons
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}
{# ════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
More Birds in Family
════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ #}