Black-eared Cuckoo vs Shining Bronze Cuckoo

Black-eared Cuckoo

Chalcites osculans

Small31 gShrubland

Adult weight on average 30 grams (1.1 oz) and are 19 to 20 cm (7.5 to 7.9 in) long, with dull greyish-brown back with distinctive black eye-stripe from the bill to the neck. Rump is pale white and breasts area is pale salmon in colour. Feet and legs are black, eyes are brown, bill is black tail is grey/brown on top, with white tips, while underneath the tail is cream with brownish bars. What distinguishes it from other small sized cuckoo species in Australia is that it doesn't have a metallic coloured feathers on its back. Juveniles are duller in colour with a more brown eye-stripe. Voice: Chicks will give a chirp, while in adults a descending feeeuw or pee-o-weer call in a lower mournful tone than the Horsfield's bronze cuckoo, which may be a singular or repeated. During courtship a call of pee-o-wit may be also heard. Males are often are observed calling from high branches but can still be found on lower branches

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom · CC BY 2.0

Shining Bronze Cuckoo

Chalcites lucidus

Small24 gForest

Hard to spot and easier to hear, the shining bronze cuckoo is 13–18 cm (5.1–7.1 in) in overall length, has a wingspan of 25–32 cm (9.8–12.6 in) and weighs around 25 g (0.88 oz). It is slightly larger than Horsfield's bronze cuckoo (Chalcites basalis). It has metallic golden or coppery green upperparts and white cheeks and underparts barred with dark green. The female is similar with a more purplish sheen to the crown and nape and bronzer-tinged barring on the belly. The bill is black and the feet are black with yellow undersides.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Frankzed · CC BY 2.0

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Black-eared Cuckoo and Shining Bronze Cuckoo.