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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Black Coucal
Gesang
Melodic, flute-like phrase with musical quality; clear rich notes cascading pleasantly from Madagascar forest.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Gesang
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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Erhaltungsstatus
Least Concern
Black Coucal
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
Black Coucal
Gefieder
Brown Coucal: dark brown above; rufous-brown wings; buff below; long brown tail; orange-red eye; brownish plumage; African species
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Gefieder
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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Black Coucal (Centropus grillii) — 30–35 cm. Entirely glossy black with chestnut wings in breeding plumage; non-breeding birds streaked brown. Found in tall grass and reed beds across sub-Saharan Africa. Non-parasitic; notable for reverse sex roles — female larger, male incubates and raises young. Insectivore.
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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