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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Little Cuckoo
Chant
Deep, hollow resonant call; powerful notes carrying across dense tropical forest in Southeast Asia. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
African Cuckoo
Chant
Loud, far-carrying raucous call; harsh penetrating notes given from tall African forest canopy. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Statut de conservation
Least Concern
Little Cuckoo
Least Concern
African Cuckoo
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Little Cuckoo
Plumage
Thick-billed Cuckoo: heavy bill; dark brown above; pale buff below; graduated dark tail; Old World forest cuckoo; robust bill
African Cuckoo
Plumage
African Cuckoo: gray above; white below with rufous barring; long dark tail; yellow eye-ring; African migrant similar to Common
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Little Cuckoo (Coccycua minuta) — 22–25 cm. Small; rufous above; pale buff underparts; short tail with white tips; slim body. Inhabits dense vegetation near water, mangroves, and forest edge across northern South America from Panama to Peru and Brazil. Non-parasitic. Insectivore.
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.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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