Mangrove Cuckoo vs Lesser Antillean Bullfinch

In short

The Mangrove Cuckoo and Lesser Antillean Bullfinch are distinct in appearance and behavior. The Mangrove Cuckoo is a slender, long-tailed bird with a distinctive black auricular mask and buffy underparts, while the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch is a small, robust bird with sexual dimorphism in plumage. The cuckoo's call is lower-pitched and slower compared to the bullfinch's fast, clear warbling song.

Identification tips

• Look for the black auricular mask and buffy underparts of the Mangrove Cuckoo.
• Note the white-tipped outer rectrices on the Mangrove Cuckoo's tail.
• Observe the sexual dimorphism in the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch: males are black with red, females are warm gray.
• Listen for the lower-pitched, slower calls of the Mangrove Cuckoo versus the fast, clear song of the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch.

Size

The Mangrove Cuckoo is larger and more slender, whereas the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch is smaller and more robust.

Plumage

The Mangrove Cuckoo has a grayish crown, black auricular patch, and buffy underparts, with white-tipped outer rectrices. The Lesser Antillean Bullfinch shows sexual dimorphism: males are black with a reddish throat, while females are warm gray with reddish brown wings and tail.

Voice

The Mangrove Cuckoo's calls are generally lower-pitched and slower, while the Lesser Antillean Bullfinch has a fast, clear warbling song.