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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Dwarf Koel
Song
Loud, nasal call with carrying quality; distinctive resonant notes given from forest canopy in Asia.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Song
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Conservation Status
Least Concern
Dwarf Koel
Least Concern
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Dwarf Koel
Plumage
Channel-billed Cuckoo: pale gray-white; dark wings; massive pale curved bill; red orbital ring; long dark tail; unique bill size
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Plumage
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Dwarf Koel (Microdynamis parva) — 20–24 cm. Tiny koel; male blackish; female brown with white spots; short tail; small curved bill. Inhabits primary lowland forest of New Guinea. Brood parasite; host species poorly documented. Insectivore and frugivore. Rare and little studied.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) — 28 cm. Brown above; chestnut rump; whitish underparts; bare blue orbital skin. Inhabits dry and semi-arid scrub from Mexico to Costa Rica. Non-parasitic; builds its own nest in low shrubs. Runs on the ground hunting large insects, lizards, and amphibians. Monotypic genus endemic to Mesoamerica.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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