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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
African Emerald Cuckoo
Chant
Deep, hollow resonant booming call; powerful low notes carrying far through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
Lesser Cuckoo
Chant
Loud, far-carrying call; penetrating resonant notes given repeatedly from dense African forest canopy.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Statut de conservation
Least Concern
African Emerald Cuckoo
Least Concern
Lesser Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
African Emerald Cuckoo
Plumage
New Caledonian Bronze-cuckoo: bronze-green above; barred white below; island endemic; red eye; iridescent bronze-green; small size
Lesser Cuckoo
Plumage
Lesser Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; slender; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; smaller than Common Cuckoo
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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African Emerald Cuckoo (Chrysococcyx cupreus) — 20–22 cm. Male: dazzling emerald green above and on breast; yellow belly; red bill. Female: bronze-green above; rufous-barred below. Inhabits primary forest and dense secondary growth across West and Central Africa. Brood parasite targeting sunbirds and other small passerines. Insectivore.
Lesser Cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus) — 25–28 cm. Grey above; whitish below with black barring; yellow orbital ring; long tail. Migratory; breeds across South and East Asia from Afghanistan to Japan; winters to East Africa and South Asia. Brood parasite targeting warblers. Insectivore.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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