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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
African Cuckoo
Gesang
Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Greater Roadrunner
Gesang
Loud, far-carrying call; distinctive resonant notes audible across open terrain with remarkable carrying power.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Erhaltungsstatus
Least Concern
African Cuckoo
Least Concern
Greater Roadrunner
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
African Cuckoo
Gefieder
African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common
Greater Roadrunner
Gefieder
Lesser Roadrunner: brown-streaked above; white-buff below; long streaked tail; shaggy short crest; blue-red facial skin; small roadrunner
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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African Cuckoo (Cuculus gularis) — 32–35 cm. Very similar to Common Cuckoo; grey above; barred below; yellow bill base and orbital ring; long tail. Migratory intra-African breeder across sub-Saharan woodland and savanna. Brood parasite primarily targeting fork-tailed drongos. Insectivore.
Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californianus) — 52–62 cm. Streaked brown-and-white; erectile crest; bare red-and-blue post-ocular patch; long tail. Inhabits deserts and chaparral of the southwestern USA and Mexico. Non-parasitic; carnivorous — eats rattlesnakes, lizards, scorpions, and birds. Runs up to 32 km/h; iconic bird of the Sonoran Desert.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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