Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus)

Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae | IUCN Status: Least Concern

dark-billed cuckoo
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Huaral – Lima

dark-billed cuckoo
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Huaral – Lima

dark-billed_cuckoo
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Southern Brazil

dark-billed_cuckoo
Age: Adult | Sex: Unknown | Loc. Southern Brazil


Identification & Behavior: ~27.5 cm (11 in). The Dark-billed Cuckoo has warm gray upperparts with a varying amount of buffy and brownish on the underparts. The bill is dark and lacks a noticeable orbital ring. It has a long dark tail tipped on the underside with large white spots. Pale individuals may be similar to a Black-billed Cuckoo but are distinguished by buff underparts, not noticeable orbital skin, and a dark tail with large white spots. Also, see the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

Status: The Dark-billed Cuckoo is an uncommon Austral migrant generally present in the Amazonian lowlands of Peru during the months of March through October. It has been recorded at elevations of up to 3000 m along the eastern slope of the Andes. It is also rare in the coastal lowlands west of the Andes and adjacent Andean foothills. It also occurs in Co, Ec, Br, Bo, and Ch.

Name in Spanish: Cuclillo de Pico Oscuro.

Sub-species: Dark-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus melacoryphus), Vieillot 1817.

Meaning of Name: Coccyzus: Gr. kokkuzö, kokku= crying, crying cuckoo. melacoryphus: Gr melas= black and koruphë= crown.

See more of the Family Cuculidae   peru aves

Distribution Map
dark-billed_cuckooVoice

References:

    • Species range based on: Schulenberg, T. S., D. F. Stotz, and L. Rico. 2006. Distribution maps of the birds of Peru, version 1.0. Environment, Culture & Conservation (ECCo). The Field Museum.  http://fm2.fieldmuseum.org/uw_test/birdsofperu on 08/01/2015.