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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Rufous Coucal
Chant
Loud, far-carrying call with resonant quality; deep notes given repeatedly from tall African forest canopy.
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Chant
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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Statut de conservation
Near Threatened
Rufous 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
Rufous Coucal
Plumage
Short-toed Coucal: brown above; rufous wings; buff below; shorter tail than other coucals; red eye; more compact build
Lesser Ground-cuckoo
Plumage
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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Rufous Coucal (Centropus unirufus) — 40–45 cm. Entirely bright rufous-chestnut above and below; stout black bill; red eye. Endemic to Luzon, Philippines, in primary and secondary forest and scrub. Non-parasitic; nests in low dense vegetation. Omnivore feeding on large insects, small lizards, frogs, and berries.
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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