African Emerald Cuckoo vs Lesser Ground Cuckoo

African Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx cupreus

Small38 gForest

The African emerald cuckoo is sexually dimorphic. The males have a green back and head with a yellow breast. Females are barred green and brown on their backs and green and white on their breasts. The African emerald cuckoo can also be identified by its call, a four-note whistle with the mnemonic device of "Hello Ju-dy."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: avocat · CC BY 4.0

Lesser Ground Cuckoo

Morococcyx erythropygus

Medium65 gShrubland

The lesser ground cuckoo is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long. Males weigh about 58 to 66 g (2.0 to 2.3 oz) and females about 56 to 76 g (2.0 to 2.7 oz). Females are somewhat paler than males but otherwise do not differ. They have a slightly decurved bill with a blackish brown maxilla and an orange mandible. Their face is intricately patterned, with a bright yellow ring around the eye with bare blue skin behind it and thin black lines surrounding the area, a short indistinct whitish stripe above the eye, and cinnamon ocracous cheeks. Voice: The lesser ground cuckoo's song has been described as "a series of 10 or more loud rolling or trilling notes...usually introduced by 2–3 clear, ascending whistles" and as "loud, rich, rolled whistles, suggesting a referee's whistle...prree,...prree,....prree, prree-prree-prreeprree ... prree, prree, prree,....prree,.........prree".

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Giovana A. Valencia · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: African Emerald Cuckoo and Lesser Ground Cuckoo.