Common Squirrel-Cuckoo Identification

A large cuckoo with a long, tapering tail with prominent white spots. Upperparts are rusty orange, the throat is a lighter cinnamon, and the belly is a soft gray. The bill is greenish-yellow, and the bright red eye is surrounded by a yellow or red eyering.

“Amazonian” Common Squirrel-Cuckoo occurs in forests and wooded areas across much of South America.

A large cuckoo with a long, fanlike tail. Rusty upperparts give way to a cinnamon head and throat and light gray breast. Adult’s red eye has a yellow or red eyering (depending on location).

The long, graduated tail can be up to 28 cm (11 inches) long—more than half the bird’s total length.

Forages for insects in the midstory and canopy of forests and woodlands.

Moves rapidly along branches high up in trees. Gives an abrupt, ratcheting call (heard at end of video) in flight.

Occurs in dry and humid forests, from sea level to over 2,000 m (6,600 feet).

The widespread “Middle American”Common Squirrel-Cuckoo ranges from eastern Mexico to northwestern Colombia.

Feeds on caterpillars and other insects.

Hops rapidly along branches like a squirrel.

Often concealed in midstory or canopy vegetation, but occasionally glides across clearings and perches out in the open.