Asian Emerald Cuckoo vs Violet Cuckoo

Asian Emerald Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx maculatus

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The Asian emerald cuckoo grows to a length of about 18 cm (7 in). The adult male has an iridescent dark green head, upper parts and upper breast, a white lower breast and a green barred belly. Bare skin round the eye is orange and the beak is orange/yellow tipped with black. The adult female has coppery-green upper parts, rusty brown crown and nape and green-barred underparts. Both sexes show a white band on the underwing when in flight. The underparts of the juvenile male lack the white lower breast and are more heavily barred.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Somchai Kanchanasut from Bangkok, Thailand · CC BY 2.0

Violet Cuckoo

Chrysococcyx xanthorhynchus

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The males have glossy violet feathers on the head and upper parts of the body. The blackish tail has a white tip, and barred outer feathers. The most spectacular feature is the brightly iridescent violet chin and upper breast. The belly is white with broad black, green or violet bars. Mature males also have a red eye-ring. The closely related species, C. amethystinus has a glossy blue-violet throat patch rather than reddish violet of this cuckoo. The females have mottled, greenish-bronze upper parts and a dark brown crown. There are white markings around the eyes and sometimes on the forehead.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Gerard Chartier · CC BY 4.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Asian Emerald Cuckoo and Violet Cuckoo.