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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Short-toed Coucal
Chant
Deep, hollow booming call; resonant low notes carrying across dense humid West African lowland forest.
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Chant
Loud, raucous call with harsh quality; penetrating notes carrying through dense forest in South Asia.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Statut de conservation
Vulnerable
Short-toed Coucal
Least Concern
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Short-toed Coucal
Plumage
Mangrove Coucal: dark glossy brown above; rufous wings; pale buff below; long graduated tail; red eye; mangrove forest specialist
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo
Plumage
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo: dark brown above; pale below with dense dark barring; hawk-like; long barred tail; yellow orbital ring; dark morph
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Short-toed Coucal (Centropus rectunguis) — 35–40 cm. Rufous-brown with a black head; noticeably shorter tail than most coucals; heavy bill. Inhabits lowland and hill forest of the Malay Peninsula, Borneo, and Sumatra. Non-parasitic; builds a domed nest. Omnivore hunting large insects and small vertebrates. Vulnerable due to forest loss.
Dark Hawk-Cuckoo (Hierococcyx bocki) — 28–31 cm. Dark grey above; pale below with darker streaking; barred tail. Restricted to montane forest of the Malay Peninsula. Brood parasite. Insectivore. Rare; poorly documented.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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