Bird Guide

Fan-tailed Cuckoo vs Sahul Brush Cuckoo

Fan-tailed Cuckoo (Cacomantis flabelliformis)

Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Cacomantis flabelliformis

Small50 gForest

The fan-tailed cuckoo is about 25–27 cm (9.8–10.6 in) long. The fan-tailed cuckoo has a slate-grey head, back and wings, rufous underparts and barred black and white tail. Its eye is surrounded by a yellow orbital eye ring which helps to distinguish it from the smaller and paler brush cuckoo (C. variolosus) and the also smaller chestnut-breasted cuckoo (C. castaneiventris).

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Sonogram of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo
Recorded by Richard Fuller · Nocturnal flight call · Carindale, Brisbane City, Queensland, Australia · CC0
Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
Sahul Brush Cuckoo (Cacomantis variolosus)

Sahul Brush Cuckoo

Cacomantis variolosus

Small36 gForest

The Sahul brush cuckoo is about 22–26 cm (8.7–10.2 in) long. The plumage of adult males and females is similar. The head is pale grey, the breast is buff, the back is grey-brown, and the underside of the tail is brown with white tips and bars. The eye has a narrow, pale ring around it, and the feet are olive-pink. Juvenile plumage is heavily barred dark brown. The wings are sharply pointed and backswept in flight. Underwings are grey-brown with pale buff underwing coverts and a white or pale buff bar.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Ged Tranter · CC BY 4.0

Where you might meet both

Learn this pair in the BeakBrain App

Photo and call practice. Coming soon to iPhone and Android.

Play today's Daily Bird

Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Fan-tailed Cuckoo and Sahul Brush Cuckoo.