Lesser Ground Cuckoo

Overview

The lesser ground cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) is a species of cuckoo found across Central America and parts of Mexico. It is the sole member of its genus and is classified as Least Concern by the IUCN, with a large population estimated between 50,000 and 500,000 individuals.

Identification

• 25 to 28 cm long with a slightly decurved bill featuring a blackish brown upper part and an orange lower part.
• Intricately patterned face with a bright yellow eye-ring, bare blue skin behind the eye, and cinnamon ochraceous cheeks.
• Underparts are cinnamon ochraceous, while the tail is mostly olive brown with a purplish bronze gloss.
• Song consists of loud, rolling or trilling notes, often described as rich, rolled whistles suggesting a referee's whistle.

Habitat

The species inhabits semiarid to arid landscapes, including the interior and edges of woodlands, thorn forest, secondary forest, and savanna. It is found from southern Mexico south through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua into Costa Rica, with one subspecies restricted to the Pacific slope of western Mexico.

Diet

The bird feeds on insects captured while walking on the ground or picked from vegetation with short leaps. Specific dietary details are lacking in the available records.

Did you know?

This cuckoo constructs a shallow bowl nest on the ground using sticks or leaves. Both adults participate in incubating a clutch of two eggs, although the exact incubation period and time to fledging remain unknown.