Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo vs Black Cuckoo

In short

The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo and the Black Cuckoo can be distinguished by their tail length and plumage coloration. The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo has a notably long tail, while the Black Cuckoo is characterized by its rufous throat patch in the gabonensis subspecies.

Identification tips

• Look for the long tail in the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo.
• Check for the rufous throat patch in the Black Cuckoo (Rufous-throated) subspecies.

Plumage

The Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo features a generally dusky appearance with a long tail. In contrast, the Black Cuckoo (Rufous-throated) has a distinctive rufous throat patch, which is absent in the Dusky Long-tailed Cuckoo.