Rufous-winged Ground Cuckoo

Overview

The rufous-winged ground cuckoo is a species of cuckoo found in the Guiana Shield and parts of Brazil. It is a year-round resident that inhabits mature, undisturbed evergreen and upland terra firme forests, and is currently assessed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List.

Identification

• Length of 48 to 56 cm (19 to 22 in), with the tail constituting about half its body length.
• A deep purplish-blue head, crest, and neck, with an olive lower back and inner tail feathers of a metallic purple hue.
• A heavy, decurved black bill with a greenish to greenish-white tip on the maxilla, and bare red to reddish-violet skin around the eye.
• A loud, forceful territorial call resembling "whOOu," similar to a dove's call but clearer and louder, and a dry clacking sound that mimics peccaries.

Habitat

The rufous-winged ground cuckoo is found primarily in the eastern Venezuelan states of Bolívar and Amazonas, western Guyana, and far northwestern Brazil. It occupies mature undisturbed evergreen forest and upland terra firme forest, typically in the foothill zone between 100 and 1,100 m (330 and 3,600 ft) in elevation.

Diet

The species consumes a diet mostly of insects and significant amounts of other arthropods, as well as small vertebrates like lizards, amphibians, and small birds. It often forages on the forest floor, following army ant swarms and peccaries to catch fleeing prey, and may follow monkey troops to feed on fallen fruits.

Did you know?

The rufous-winged ground cuckoo produces a dry clacking sound by clapping its bill, which mimics the vocalisations of peccaries. This mimicry may trick predators into thinking peccaries are nearby, thereby benefiting both species by warning them of nearby dangers.