Lesser Ground Cuckoo vs Oriental Cuckoo

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

Oriental Cuckoo

Cuculus optatus

Medium99 gForest

It is 30–32 centimetres long with a wingspan of 51–57 centimetres and a weight of 73–156 grams. The adult male has a grey head, breast and upperparts. The belly is creamy-white with dark bars. The vent is frequently buff with few markings. The legs and feet are orange-yellow and there is a bare yellow ring around the eye. Adult females and juveniles occur in two morphs. The grey morph is similar to the male but has a brownish wash on the breast. The rufous morph is reddish-brown above, paler on the underparts and with strong dark bands all over including the rump. The common cuckoo (C.

ID text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Licheng Shih · CC BY 4.0

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