Mangrove cuckoo

Mangrove cuckoo
Conservation status
Least Concern  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Cuculiformes
Family:	Cuculidae
Genus:	Coccyzus
Species:	C. minor
Binomial name
Coccyzus minor (Gmelin, JF, 1788)
Synonyms
Coccyzus maynardi

The mangrove cuckoo (Coccyzus minor) is a species of cuckoo that is native to the Neotropics.

Taxonomy

The mangrove cuckoo was

Adults have a long tail, brown above and black-and-white below, and a black curved bill with yellow on the lower mandible. The head and upper parts are brown. There is a yellow ring around the eye. This bird is best distinguished by its black facial mask and buffy underparts. Although the scientific name is minor (meaning "small"), this species is on average the largest of North America's three Coccyzus cuckoos. Adults measure 28–34 cm (11–13 in) in length, weigh 64–102 g (2.3–3.6 oz) and span 38–43 cm (15–17 in) across the wings.[8] The most common call is a guttural "gawk gawk gawk gawk gauk gauk". It will also call a single "whit".

Distribution and habitat

The mangrove cuckoo is a resident of southern Florida in the United States, the Caribbean, both coasts of Mexico and Central America, and the Atlantic coast of South America as far south as the mouth of the Amazon River. It is found primarily in mangrove swamps and hammocks.^[9] The mangrove cuckoo is generally fairly common in its specialized range. This bird could be threatened by human development of mangrove habitat.

Behaviour and ecology

Breeding

It nests 2–3 m (6 ft 7 in – 9 ft 10 in) above water in a mangrove tree or above ground in a fork of a tree. The clutch is usually two eggs. These are white and measure 31 mm × 23 mm (1.22 in × 0.91 in). Both parents bring food to the chicks.^[10]

Food and feeding

It prefers caterpillars and grasshoppers, but will also take other insects, insect larvae,^[11] spiders, snails, small lizards, bird eggs, nestlings of small birds,^[11] and fruit.^[10]

References