The cuckoo family Cuculidae contains six subfamilies. The first three listed below are found in the New world, while the remaining three are found in the Old World.
* Coccyzinae – New World Cuckoos
* Neomorphinae – New World Ground Cuckoos
* Crotophaginae – Anis
* Cuculinae – Old World Cuckoos
* Phaenicophaeinae – Malkohas and Couas
* Centropodinae – Coucals
This article is about the cuckoo subfamily Coccyzinae whose species are restricted to the Americas. Its three genera are: Coccycua, Coccyzus, and Piaya.
Unlike the ground cuckoos, the members of the Coccyzinae subfamily do much of their foraging in trees and shrubs. Almost all the species of this cuckoo subfamily are not brood parasitic. That is, they lay their eggs in their own nests and raise their chicks. The two exceptions are the black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) and the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). And those two species do raise their own young most of the time.
The three species of genus Coccycua are found in the tropical Americas. They are not brood parasites. They are relatively small, have short tails, and do not migrate.They mainly eat insects.
Genus Coccyzus with its 13 species makes up the largest part of this American subfamily of cuckoos. Coccyzus cuckoos feed on large insects such as caterpillars, cicadas, and wasps. Many also feed on lizards. Cuckoos can consume hairy caterpillars because of their ability to shed their abdominal lining and get rid of the hairs via a pellet. They have long wings and are strong fliers. Many species have black under-tails with broad white tips to the feathers which are striking because of the graduated tail.
The two cuckoos of genus Playa are relatively large arboreal cuckoos with very long tails. They mainly eat insects including caterpillars and grasshopers.
Genus Coccycua
The three species of this genus are found in the tropical Americas. They are not brood parasites.
Cuckoo,_Ash-colored Coccycua cinerea
Cuckoo,_Dwarf Coccycua pumila
Cuckoo,_Little Coccycua minuta
Genus Coccyzus
These cuckoos all build their own nests. However, the yellow-billed and black-billed will occasionally lay eggs in the nest of other species. These two species are also the only two of the species that appear in North America. The other 5 species are restricted to Central and South America.
Cuckoo,_Bay-breasted Coccyzus rufigularis
Cuckoo,_Black-billed Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Cuckoo,_Chestnut-bellied Coccyzus pluvialis
Cuckoo,_Cocos Coccyzus ferrugineus
Cuckoo,_Dark-billed Coccyzus melacoryphus
Cuckoo,_Great_Lizard- Coccyzus merlini
Cuckoo,_grey-capped Coccyzus lansbergi
Cuckoo,_Hispaniolan Lizard- Coccyzus longirostris
Cuckoo,_Jamaican Lizard Coccyzus vetula
Cuckoo,_Mangrove Coccyzus minor
Cuckoo,_Pearly-breasted Coccyzus euleri
Cuckoo,_Puerto Rican Lizard- Coccyzus vieilloti
Cuckoo,_Yellow-billed Coccyzus americanus
Genus Piaya
These species have relatively slight bodies and long tails. They are not brood parasitic, that is, they raise their own young.
Cuckoo,_Black-bellied Piaya melanogaster
Cuckoo,_Squirrel Piaya cayana Found: Central and South America
* Coccyzinae – New World Cuckoos
* Neomorphinae – New World Ground Cuckoos
* Crotophaginae – Anis
* Cuculinae – Old World Cuckoos
* Phaenicophaeinae – Malkohas and Couas
* Centropodinae – Coucals
This article is about the cuckoo subfamily Coccyzinae whose species are restricted to the Americas. Its three genera are: Coccycua, Coccyzus, and Piaya.
Unlike the ground cuckoos, the members of the Coccyzinae subfamily do much of their foraging in trees and shrubs. Almost all the species of this cuckoo subfamily are not brood parasitic. That is, they lay their eggs in their own nests and raise their chicks. The two exceptions are the black-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) and the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus). And those two species do raise their own young most of the time.
The three species of genus Coccycua are found in the tropical Americas. They are not brood parasites. They are relatively small, have short tails, and do not migrate.They mainly eat insects.
Genus Coccyzus with its 13 species makes up the largest part of this American subfamily of cuckoos. Coccyzus cuckoos feed on large insects such as caterpillars, cicadas, and wasps. Many also feed on lizards. Cuckoos can consume hairy caterpillars because of their ability to shed their abdominal lining and get rid of the hairs via a pellet. They have long wings and are strong fliers. Many species have black under-tails with broad white tips to the feathers which are striking because of the graduated tail.
The two cuckoos of genus Playa are relatively large arboreal cuckoos with very long tails. They mainly eat insects including caterpillars and grasshopers.
The cuckoo family Cuculidae
The cuckoo family Cuculidae is the only family of the order Cuculiformes. The family is represented on all continents except Antarctica. Most species reside in tropical or subtropical environments. Those in temperate locations migrate to avoid cool or cold winters. In addition to cuckoos, the family Cuculidae also includes the roadrunners, koels, malkohas, couas, coucals and anis. The coucals and anis are sometimes separated as distinct families. The
cuckoos are generally medium sized slender birds. The majority are of the cuculidae family are arboreal, with a sizeable minority that is terrestrial.
Cuckoos are medium sized birds that range in size from 15-63 cm. There is generally little sexual dimorphism in size, but where it exists, it can be either
the male or the female that is larger, depending on the genera. There are two basic body forms, arboreal species which are slender and terrestrial species which are more heavy set and have stronger legs. Almost
all species have long tails which are used for steering in terrestrial species and as a rudder during flight in the arboreal species.
Many species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other species, but
the majority of species raise their own young. The brood parasitic birds usually only parasitize a single host species or a small group of closely related host species. They tend to remove a host egg when they lay one of their own in a nest. This both prevents the host species from realizing their nest has been parasitized and reduces food competition for the parasitic nestling once it hatches. Some brood parasites will eliminate all their nest-mates shortly after hatching. If the host removes a parasitic egg or chick, the adult parasitic birds may retaliate by destroying the nest.
There has been an evolutionary arms race between the cuckoos that leave their eggs in other nests, and the hosts that get these unwanted presents. The cuckoos have evolved to be able to lay their eggs faster than most other species and the eggs need less incubation time before hatching. These eggs often resemble the host eggs to prevent detection of an invader egg. The drongo-cuckoos resemble their host. Some hosts have evolve to be social so the colony can be on the lookout for an invader trying to deposit an egg. Others have more than one brood of chicks per year so there will be replacements for any losses due to cuckoos.
Cuckoos feed on insects, small animals, seeds, and fruit. For many cuckoo species, caterpillars are their favorite food; even hairy caterpillars that are avoided by most other birds. Cuckoos can consume hairy caterpillars because of their ability to shed their abdominal lining and get rid of the hairs via a pellet. Another favorite food of many cuckoos are grasshoppers. We may find it repugnant that some cuckooos are brood parasitic and they or their offspring even kill the host's chicks, but on the plus side cuckoos help prevent plagues of caterpillars and grasshoppers!
Almost all cuckoos are shy which can make them a challenge to observe and photograph. Consistent with this behavior, they are not colonial breeders. These traits may be have their roots in their brood parasitic behavior. Stealth is a good characteristic if you want to sneak an egg into a host's nest.
Cuckoo family members are zygodactyl: they have the 2 inner toes facing forward and 2 two outer toes facing to the rear.
New World Cuckoos
Genus Coccycua
The three species of this genus are found in the tropical Americas. They are not brood parasites.
Cuckoo,_Ash-colored Coccycua cinerea
Description: The Ash-colored Cuckoo has a grey head and a brownish-grey back. The underparts are light grey, the eyes red, and the bill black.
Range: South America.
Habitat: Subtropical or tropical forest, bushy areas.
Diet: Insects including their larvae.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: Claudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 2) Fabiorochapina 3) Gustavo Duran - ArgentinaRange: South America.
Habitat: Subtropical or tropical forest, bushy areas.
Diet: Insects including their larvae.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Dwarf Coccycua pumila
Description: The dwarf cuckoo has brown upperparts and a grey crown. It has a black bill and red eye-ring. The throat and upper-breast are rufous while the lower-breast and belly are creamy white. The end of the tail is back with white tips. The Dwarf Cuckoo raises its own young. It builds a flimsy stick platform in a small tree.
Range: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, northern Brazil.
Habitat: Subtropical or tropical forest (even if degraded due to logging).
Diet: Insects including caterpillars. Hunts in trees, scrubs, on ground.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Frank_Shufelt in Columbia 2) Alejandro Tamayo 3) Nick Athanas - VenezuealRange: Panama, Colombia, Venezuela, northern Brazil.
Habitat: Subtropical or tropical forest (even if degraded due to logging).
Diet: Insects including caterpillars. Hunts in trees, scrubs, on ground.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Little Coccycua minuta
Description: The Little Cuckoo has mainly chestnut-brown plumage. The lower-belly is greyish and the dark brown tail has white tips. The bill is yellow as is the bill. The eyes are red. The Little Cuckoo raises its own young.
Range: Panama, South America.
Habitat: Mangrove swamps, and scrubby woodland near water.
Diet: Insects, arachnids, crustaceans.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Luke_Seitz in Guyana 2) Len Blumin - Trinidad 3) Carlos Simioni 4) Nick Athanas - EcuadorRange: Panama, South America.
Habitat: Mangrove swamps, and scrubby woodland near water.
Diet: Insects, arachnids, crustaceans.
Conservation status: Least concern
Genus Coccyzus
These cuckoos all build their own nests. However, the yellow-billed and black-billed will occasionally lay eggs in the nest of other species. These two species are also the only two of the species that appear in North America. The other 5 species are restricted to Central and South America.
Cuckoo,_Bay-breasted Coccyzus rufigularis
Description: The Bay-breasted Cuckoo has grey upperparts. The throat and breast are reddish-brown (reddish-brown horses are said to have the color “bay”, hence the name of this species). The belly is whitish. The under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail.
Range: Dominican Republic on Hispaniola in Caribbean.
Habitat: Under 900 meters (3000 ft) in moist or dry forests.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars and grasshoppers; lizards. Also mice, beetles.
Conservation status: The bay-bay-created cuckoo is listed as endangered because their numbers are declining and their range relatively small.
Image by: 1, 2) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Dax_Roman Range: Dominican Republic on Hispaniola in Caribbean.
Habitat: Under 900 meters (3000 ft) in moist or dry forests.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars and grasshoppers; lizards. Also mice, beetles.
Conservation status: The bay-bay-created cuckoo is listed as endangered because their numbers are declining and their range relatively small.
Cuckoo,_Black-billed Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Description: The Black-billed Cuckoo has black bill. It has greyish-brown upperparts, white underparts, and a red eye-ring. They occasionally lay eggs in the nest of other species.
It is similar to the yellow-billed cuckoo which has a black bill above and yellow below. The black-billed cuckoo bill is all black. Also, the yellow-billed has more white on the underside of its tail than the black-billed.
Range: The Americas.
Habitat: They forage and nest in trees and shrubs.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars and cicada. Also eggs, berries, snails.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Big Dipper 2 2) Bob Hall 3) Wolfgang Wander 4) Dave Inman - Pennsylvania 5) Henry McLin - PennsylvaniaIt is similar to the yellow-billed cuckoo which has a black bill above and yellow below. The black-billed cuckoo bill is all black. Also, the yellow-billed has more white on the underside of its tail than the black-billed.
Range: The Americas.
Habitat: They forage and nest in trees and shrubs.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars and cicada. Also eggs, berries, snails.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Chestnut-bellied Coccyzus pluvialis
Description: The chestnut-bellied cuckoo has brown upperparts. The head has a dark grey crown and blackish bill. It has a white throat. The breast is light grey and the belly is chestnut. The tail is black with wide white tips.
Range: Jamaica.
Habitat: Forests and degraded forests.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars, lizards. Also mice, small birds, eggs.
Conservation status: The status is listed as “Least concern”, but it is not a well known species and restricted toJamaica so its health as a species bears watching.
Image by:
1) Dominic Sherony 2) Ron_KnightRange: Jamaica.
Habitat: Forests and degraded forests.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars, lizards. Also mice, small birds, eggs.
Conservation status: The status is listed as “Least concern”, but it is not a well known species and restricted toJamaica so its health as a species bears watching.
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Cuckoo,_Cocos Coccyzus ferrugineus
Description: The Cocos Cuckoo has brown upperparts. The throat and upper-breast are whitish while the rest of the underparts are peach. It has a dark grey crown and a black eye mask. The upper mandible is black, the lower is yellow. It also has a yellow eye-ring.
Range: Island of Cocos off Costa Rica.
Habitat: Mainly forest; also scrub land.
Diet: Insects, especially spiders.
Conservation status: It is threatened by habitat loss.
Image by: 1) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Ken_HarvardRange: Island of Cocos off Costa Rica.
Habitat: Mainly forest; also scrub land.
Diet: Insects, especially spiders.
Conservation status: It is threatened by habitat loss.
Cuckoo,_Dark-billed Coccyzus melacoryphus
Description: The dark-billed Cuckoo has reddish-brown upperparts. It has grey head with a black bill. The underparts are light brownish-yellow.
Range: South America.
Habitat: Wide range of habits allowing it to be widespread.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars, grasshoppers, ants.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1, 2) Claudio Timm - Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil 3) Nick Athanas - Columbia 4) Edwin_Harvey - ArgenitnaRange: South America.
Habitat: Wide range of habits allowing it to be widespread.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars, grasshoppers, ants.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Great_Lizard- Coccyzus merlini
Description: The Great Lizard-Cuckoo is the largest cuckoo of genus Coccyzus. It has olive-brown upperparts including the head and upper-tail. On the opposite side it has a white throat and breast, plus a chestnut belly. The under-tail is barred black and white. There is a long pale bill and a red eye-ring.
Range: Bahamas, Cuba.
Habitat: Forest and scrub.
Diet: Insect, lizards, frogs, snakes.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Jerry Oldenettel - Cuba 2) Victoria Garcia - Cuba 3) Amy McAndrews- Cuba 4) Charles_J_SharpRange: Bahamas, Cuba.
Habitat: Forest and scrub.
Diet: Insect, lizards, frogs, snakes.
Conservation status: Least concern
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Cuckoo,_grey-capped Coccyzus lansbergi
Description: The grey-capped cuckoo's head is mostly grey. It has rufous-brown upperparts and rufous-yellow underparts. The tail is black on top and black and white on the bottom.
Range: Northern South America.
Habitat: Varied from forests to bushes.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars.
Conservation status: Least concern.
Image by: 1) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Juan_Rpo in Columbia 2) Nick Athanas - EcuadorRange: Northern South America.
Habitat: Varied from forests to bushes.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars.
Conservation status: Least concern.
Cuckoo,_Hispaniolan Lizard- Coccyzus longirostris
Description: The Hispaniolan cuckoo has grey upperparts and breast. The throat and belly are rufous. There is red skin around the eye, and the long bill is black. It has a black- and-white banded tail with a narrow white tip.
Range: Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic).
Habitat: Forests and bushes.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars and grasshoppers. Also lizards.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Ron Knight 2) ZabkaM 3) Ron_KnightRange: Hispaniola (Haiti and Dominican Republic).
Habitat: Forests and bushes.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars and grasshoppers. Also lizards.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Jamaican Lizard Coccyzus vetula
Description: The Jamaican Lizzard-Cuckoo's has greyish-olive upperparts and a dark grey cap. The throat is whitish-grey and the underparts are peach. The under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail. The bill, which is long is straight with flat sides, easily distinguishes it from other cuckoos in it range.
Range: Jamaica.
Habitat: It forages in trees searching for lizards.
Diet: Mainly lizards.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: Dominic SheronyRange: Jamaica.
Habitat: It forages in trees searching for lizards.
Diet: Mainly lizards.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Mangrove Coccyzus minor
Description: The mangrove cuckoo has brown upperparts including the head which has a black mask and yellow eye-rings. The underparts are buffy. The upper-tail is brown and the under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail. The mangrove cuckoo is best differentiated from the similar yellow-billed cuckoo by its black facial mask and buffy underparts. Both species have black bill above and yellow below. Both have yellow eye-rings.
Range: south Florida to north Brazil.
Habitat: Mangrove swamps and higher ground (hammocks) accompanying them.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars and grasshoppers. Also snails, spiders, small lizards, fruit.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) New Jersy Birds 2) Henry Plank - Saint Martin 3)) Mario Davalos - Dominican Republic 4) Mark Stevens - AntiguaRange: south Florida to north Brazil.
Habitat: Mangrove swamps and higher ground (hammocks) accompanying them.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars and grasshoppers. Also snails, spiders, small lizards, fruit.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Pearly-breasted Coccyzus euleri
Description: The pearly-breasted cuckoo has brown upperparts, pearly-white underparts, and a grey eye-ring. The upper mandible is black and the bottom is yellow. It can be told from the similar yellow-billed cuckoo by that species chestnut wings.
Range: South America.
Habitat: Forest and scrub lands.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by:
1) Brendan_Ryan - BrazilRange: South America.
Habitat: Forest and scrub lands.
Diet: Insects, especially caterpillars.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Puerto Rican Lizard- Coccyzus vieilloti
Description: The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo has a long thin bill which is black on top and yellow on bottom. It has brown upperparts and red eye-rings. It has a grey throat and beast. The belly and tail are reddish-tan, The under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail.
Range: Puerto Rico.
Habitat: Forests and coffee plantations.
Diet: Mainly lizards; also insects and spiders.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Peter_Crosson 2) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Felipe_Pimentel 3) Ron Knight Range: Puerto Rico.
Habitat: Forests and coffee plantations.
Diet: Mainly lizards; also insects and spiders.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Yellow-billed Coccyzus americanus
Description: The yellow-billed cuckoo has a yellow lower mandible and a yellow eye-ring. It has brown upperparts, head, and upper-tail. The wings are chestnut. The under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail. They occasionally lay eggs in the nest of other species.
Range: The Americas.
Habitat: They forage and nest in trees and shrubs.
Diet: Insects especially caterpillars and cicada. Also lizards.
Similar to:
* Black-billed cuckoo. Yellow-billed cuckoo has a black bill above and yellow below; Black-billed Cuckoo bill is all black. Yellow-billed sometimes has a visible yellow eye-ring; Black-billed eye-ring is red. Yellow-billed has more white on the underside of its tail than the black-billed.
* Pearly-breasted Cuckoo. Yellow-billed cuckoo has chestnut wings.
* Mangrove Cuckoo. Mangrove cuckoo is best differentiated from yellow-billed cuckoo by its black facial mask and buffy underparts. Both species have black bill above and yellow below. Both have yellow eye-ring.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Seabrooke Leckie 2) Phil Brown - Massachuestts 3) Mdf - Bruce Peninsula National Park, Canada 4) Nick Athanas - Columbia 5) Rob_PayneRange: The Americas.
Habitat: They forage and nest in trees and shrubs.
Diet: Insects especially caterpillars and cicada. Also lizards.
Similar to:
* Black-billed cuckoo. Yellow-billed cuckoo has a black bill above and yellow below; Black-billed Cuckoo bill is all black. Yellow-billed sometimes has a visible yellow eye-ring; Black-billed eye-ring is red. Yellow-billed has more white on the underside of its tail than the black-billed.
* Pearly-breasted Cuckoo. Yellow-billed cuckoo has chestnut wings.
* Mangrove Cuckoo. Mangrove cuckoo is best differentiated from yellow-billed cuckoo by its black facial mask and buffy underparts. Both species have black bill above and yellow below. Both have yellow eye-ring.
Conservation status: Least concern
Genus Piaya
These species have relatively slight bodies and long tails. They are not brood parasitic, that is, they raise their own young.
Cuckoo,_Black-bellied Piaya melanogaster
Description: The Black-bellied Cuckoo has chestnut upperparts. It has a grey crown and a red bill. The throat and breast are reddish brown and the belly is black. The under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail. There is pale blue bare skin around most of the eye with some a patch of yellow in front of the eye.
Range: Amazon region of South America.
Habitat: Tropical forest and scrubs in nearby areas. Not found at the coast.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars and grasshopers. Also spiders and crustaceans.
Conservation status: Least concern
Image by: 1) Amy McAndrews - Brazil 2) Carol Foil - Columbia 3) Cornell_Univ's_Neotropical_Birds_Online - Joao_Quental in BrazilRange: Amazon region of South America.
Habitat: Tropical forest and scrubs in nearby areas. Not found at the coast.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars and grasshopers. Also spiders and crustaceans.
Conservation status: Least concern
Cuckoo,_Squirrel Piaya cayana Found: Central and South America
Description: The squirrel cuckoo t is an arboreal species whose movements in the trees with its long tail may bring to mind a squirrel. The under-tail is obviously graduated as the white feather tips gradually show higher up the black tail. The upper-tail is rufous. It has chestnut upperparts, including the head. The upper breast is grey and the belly is blackish. The squirrel cuckoo has a greenish-yellow bill.
Range: Central and South America.
Habitat: Spends most of its time in trees.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars and grasshoppers; also spiders.
Conservation status: Least concern.
Image by:1) Albert_Michaud - Ecuador 2) David_Cook - Ecuador 3) Nick Athanas - Panama
Range: Central and South America.
Habitat: Spends most of its time in trees.
Diet: Insects including caterpillars and grasshoppers; also spiders.
Conservation status: Least concern.
