Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo vs Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
Neomorphus rufipennis compared with Surniculus dicruroides
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Attribute | Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo | Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Neomorphus rufipennis | Surniculus dicruroides |
| Order | Cuculiformes | Cuculiformes |
| Family | Cuculidae | Cuculidae |
| Conservation Status | Least Concern | Least Concern |
| Length | — | — |
| Wingspan | 34.1 cm (13.4 in) | 27.2 cm (10.7 in) |
| Weight | 381.25 g (13.45 oz) | 34.96666666666667 g (1.23 oz) |
| Diet | -- | -- |
| Clutch Size | -- | -- |
| Population Trend | — | — |
Habitat Comparison
Song & Call Comparison
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful low-frequency sound carrying across dense lowland tropical forest floor.
Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
Loud, far-carrying call with harsh quality; penetrating rough notes given from tall forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Conservation Status
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
How to Tell Them Apart
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Pheasant Coucal: dark glossy black head and body; rufous-brown wings; strongly barred dark tail; reddish eye; terrestrial habits
Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo: glossy black; deeply forked tail; drongo mimic; pale tail base; red eye; southeast Asian species
About These Birds
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo
Rufous-winged Ground-cuckoo (Neomorphus rufipennis) — 46–50 cm. Bronze-green above; rufous wing panels; pale buff below. Found in humid forest of Venezuela, Guyana, and northern Brazil. Non-parasitic; follows army ants. Insectivore and small vertebrate predator. Rarely encountered; Near Threatened.
Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo
Fork-tailed Drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus dicruroides) — 25–28 cm. Glossy black with forked tail; resembles drongo closely; fine white barring on vent. Found across the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia in forest and forest edge. Brood parasite; mimics drongos to approach host nests. Insectivore.