Lesser Ground-cuckoo vs Black-bellied Cuckoo
Morococcyx erythropygus compared with Piaya melanogaster
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Lesser Ground-cuckoo | Black-bellied Cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Morococcyx erythropygus | Piaya melanogaster |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 19.8 cm (7.8 in) | 27.0 cm (10.6 in) |
| Weight | 66.6 g (2.35 oz) | 102.4 g (3.61 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.
Black-bellied Cuckoo
Loud, resonant call with nasal quality; carrying notes given from forest perch in Southeast Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Conservation Status
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Black-bellied 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
Black-bellied Cuckoo
Pied Cuckoo (Clamator): black above with white spots; white below; black crest; long white-tipped tail; crested Asian-African species
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.
Black-bellied Cuckoo
Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) — 35–40 cm. Rufous above; jet-black belly; greenish bill; long tail. Inhabits humid Amazonian forest and tall secondary growth. Non-parasitic. Insectivore; forages in the mid-storey and canopy. Less common than the Squirrel Cuckoo; restricted to lowland Amazonia.