Bird Guide

Great Lizard Cuckoo vs Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo

Great Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus merlini)

Great Lizard Cuckoo

Coccyzus merlini

Medium170 gForest

The great lizard cuckoo is the largest species in genus Coccyzus. It is 42 to 54 cm (17 to 21 in) long, about half of which is the tail, and weighs about 100 to 155 g (3.5 to 5.5 oz). Both sexes within each subspecies have the same plumage, but males are larger than females. The species' bill is long and almost straight, with a black or dusky maxilla and a paler mandible. Adults of the nominate subspecies C. m. merlini have an olive-brown crown, nape, and upperparts. Their primaries are rufous, but that color often only shows in flight. Voice: The great lizard cuckoo's principal vocalization is the "Long Call", described as "a throaty ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-ka-kau-kau-ko-ko...with the second part gradually increasing in volume and increasing slightly in the speed of delivery before finally slowing again". It calls at any time of day, but sporadically.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: gailhampshire from Cradley, Malvern, U.K · CC BY 2.0
Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo (Coccyzus longirostris)

Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo

Coccyzus longirostris

Medium100 gWoodland

The Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo is 41 to 46 cm (16 to 18 in) long, about half of which is the tail. Males weigh about 83 to 99 g (2.9 to 3.5 oz) and females about 92 to 128 g (3.2 to 4.5 oz). Both subspecies have a long straight bill with a black maxilla and a paler mandible. The sexes within a subspecies have the same plumage. Adults of the nominate subspecies have entirely gray upperparts. Their wings are chestnut with a rufous patch. Their throat is rufous, the breast pale gray, and the belly rufous. Their tail is black, and the underside of the feathers have large white tips. Voice: The Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo's principal call is "attling, grating...in descending series". It also makes calls described as "a harsh 'tchk', a click, and a 'tick cwuh-h-h'."

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

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

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Photos and recordings are credited to their authors under the licence shown. Full profiles: Great Lizard Cuckoo and Hispaniolan Lizard Cuckoo.