Lesser Ground-cuckoo vs Thick-billed Cuckoo
Morococcyx erythropygus compared with Pachycoccyx audeberti
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Ground-cuckoo | Thick-billed Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Morococcyx erythropygus | Pachycoccyx audeberti |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 19.8 cm (7.8 in) | 44.1 cm (17.4 in) |
| Weight | 66.6 g (2.35 oz) | 104.0 g (3.67 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | 2 | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Soft, ventriloquial whistled phrase; clear pure notes given quietly and deceptively from dense tropical thicket.
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Deep, hollow resonant booming; powerful low notes carrying through dense humid Southeast Asian forest.
Conservation Status
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Thick-billed Cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Greater Roadrunner: boldly streaked brown above; white-cream below with dark streaks; long tail; shaggy crest; bare facial skin; fast runner
Thick-billed Cuckoo
Long-tailed Koel: males blue-black; females barred brown; very long tail; red eye; Pacific island koel; strongly dimorphic
About These Birds
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
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.
Thick-billed Cuckoo
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.