The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti) is a species of bird in the tribe Phaenicophaeini, subfamily Cuculinae of the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It is endemic to Puerto Rico.[4][5]
The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo and three other lizard cuckoos were for a time considered a single species. Individually they were previously placed in genus Saurothera that was later merged into the current Coccyzus, and they are considered a superspecies. All four of them are found only on islands in the Caribbean. The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is monotypic.[2][4]
The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is 40 to 48 cm (16 to 19 in) long, about half of which is the tail. It has a long decurved bill with a black maxilla and a yellow mandible with a black tip. The sexes have the same plumage. Adults have entirely gray-brown upperparts. Their throat and breast are gray and the belly and undertail coverts tawny. The upper surface of their tail is gray-brown and the underside gray brown darkening to black near the large white tips. Their eye is surrounded by bare red skin. Juveniles have a cinnamon wash on the breast, less black on the underside of the tail, and an orange-red eye ring.[3]
Distribution and habitatedit
The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is found throughout the main island of Puerto Rico. It might have once resided on Isla Vieques, and a single specimen believed to be a vagrant was collected on St. Thomas in the American Virgin Islands. It inhabits a variety of forested landscapes including semi-open woodlands, dense montane forest, dry coastal forest, and swamp forest. It is also found in coffee plantations and brushy limestone hills. In elevation it is most common between sea level and 900 m (3,000 ft) but can be found almost to the highest peaks of the island.[3]
Behavioredit
Movementedit
The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo sits motionless for long periods and is more often heard than seen. It is non-migratory.[3]
Feedingedit
The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo mostly forages for prey from the middle to upper layers of the forest, though it also hunts in the understory and on the ground. It hunts by stealth, climbing along tree branches or walking on the ground. Its principal food is lizards (especially Anolis) and also includes adult and larval insects, eggs, and occasionally frogs.[3]
Breedingedit
Almost nothing is known about the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo's breeding phenology. Its nest is a loose platform made of sticks and placed in a tree or large bush. The clutch size is two or three eggs.[3]
Songs and calls
Listen to Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo on xeno-canto
Vocalizationedit
The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo's principal call is " a harsh series of ka-ka-ka-ka notes." The call is described in more detail as "an emphatic ka-ka-ka-ka of long duration gradually accelerating and becoming louder, sometimes with altered syllables at the end". The species also makes other calls likened to those of jays, crows, ravens, and doves.[3]
A local name for the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is pájaro bobo mayor, "big ape bird", apparently because it sounds like a monkey. It is also called pájaro de lluvia or pájaro de agua ("rain bird") in the belief that its call forecasts rain.[3]
Statusedit
The IUCN has assessed the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo as being of Least Concern. It has a somewhat restricted range and an estimated population of 2200 to 3000 mature individuals that is believed to be stable. No immediate threats have been identified.[1] Its biology is very poorly known, and "[r]eproductive information, ranging from breeding territoriality and behavior, to reproductive success, is almost non-existent."[3]
^ abBirdLife International (2022). "Puerto Rican Lizard-cuckoo Coccyzus vieilloti". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2022: e.T22684417A210614517. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2022-1.RLTS.T22684417A210614517.en. Retrieved 26 September 2022.
^ abc"Check-list of North and Middle American Birds". American Ornithological Society. August 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
^ abcdefghiKendrick, S. W. (2020). Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo (Coccyzus vieilloti), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (T. S. Schulenberg, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.purlic1.01 retrieved September 26, 2022
^ abGill, F.; Donsker, D.; Rasmussen, P., eds. (August 2022). "Turacos, bustards, cuckoos, mesites, sandgrouse". IOC World Bird List. v 12.2. Retrieved August 8, 2022.
Oberle, Mark W., 1999; Birds of Puerto Rico in Photographs, Editorial Humanitas, San Juan, Puerto Rico, 1st Edition.
Raffaele, Herbert W., 1989; A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, Princeton University Press, Princeton, New Jersey, USA
Oberle, Mark (2003). Las aves de Puerto Rico en fotografías (in Spanish). Editorial Humanitas. p. 14. ISBN0-9650104-2-2.
May 02, 2024
puerto, rican, lizard, cuckoo, coccyzus, vieilloti, species, bird, tribe, phaenicophaeini, subfamily, cuculinae, cuckoo, family, cuculidae, endemic, puerto, rico, conservation, status, least, concern, iucn, scientific, classification, domain, eukaryota, kingdo. The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo Coccyzus vieilloti is a species of bird in the tribe Phaenicophaeini subfamily Cuculinae of the cuckoo family Cuculidae It is endemic to Puerto Rico 4 5 Puerto Rican lizard 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 vieilloti Binomial name Coccyzus vieilloti Bonaparte 1850 Synonyms Saurothera vieilloti 2 Vieilloti s Ground Cuckoo 3 Contents 1 Taxonomy and systematics 2 Description 3 Distribution and habitat 4 Behavior 4 1 Movement 4 2 Feeding 4 3 Breeding 4 4 Vocalization 5 Status 6 See also 7 References 8 Further readingTaxonomy and systematics editThe Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo and three other lizard cuckoos were for a time considered a single species Individually they were previously placed in genus Saurothera that was later merged into the current Coccyzus and they are considered a superspecies All four of them are found only on islands in the Caribbean The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is monotypic 2 4 The species specific epithet and the former English name Vieilloti s Ground Cuckoo commemorate French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot 2 Description editThe Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is 40 to 48 cm 16 to 19 in long about half of which is the tail It has a long decurved bill with a black maxilla and a yellow mandible with a black tip The sexes have the same plumage Adults have entirely gray brown upperparts Their throat and breast are gray and the belly and undertail coverts tawny The upper surface of their tail is gray brown and the underside gray brown darkening to black near the large white tips Their eye is surrounded by bare red skin Juveniles have a cinnamon wash on the breast less black on the underside of the tail and an orange red eye ring 3 Distribution and habitat editThe Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is found throughout the main island of Puerto Rico It might have once resided on Isla Vieques and a single specimen believed to be a vagrant was collected on St Thomas in the American Virgin Islands It inhabits a variety of forested landscapes including semi open woodlands dense montane forest dry coastal forest and swamp forest It is also found in coffee plantations and brushy limestone hills In elevation it is most common between sea level and 900 m 3 000 ft but can be found almost to the highest peaks of the island 3 Behavior editMovement edit The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo sits motionless for long periods and is more often heard than seen It is non migratory 3 Feeding edit The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo mostly forages for prey from the middle to upper layers of the forest though it also hunts in the understory and on the ground It hunts by stealth climbing along tree branches or walking on the ground Its principal food is lizards especially Anolis and also includes adult and larval insects eggs and occasionally frogs 3 Breeding edit Almost nothing is known about the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo s breeding phenology Its nest is a loose platform made of sticks and placed in a tree or large bush The clutch size is two or three eggs 3 nbsp Songs and calls Listen to Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo on xeno canto Vocalization edit The Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo s principal call is a harsh series of ka ka ka ka notes The call is described in more detail as an emphatic ka ka ka ka of long duration gradually accelerating and becoming louder sometimes with altered syllables at the end The species also makes other calls likened to those of jays crows ravens and doves 3 A local name for the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo is pajaro bobo mayor big ape bird apparently because it sounds like a monkey It is also called pajaro de lluvia or pajaro de agua rain bird in the belief that its call forecasts rain 3 Status editThe IUCN has assessed the Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo as being of Least Concern It has a somewhat restricted range and an estimated population of 2200 to 3000 mature individuals that is believed to be stable No immediate threats have been identified 1 Its biology is very poorly known and r eproductive information ranging from breeding territoriality and behavior to reproductive success is almost non existent 3 See also edit nbsp Puerto Rico portal nbsp Biology portal nbsp Birds portal Fauna of Puerto Rico List of birds of Puerto Rico List of endemic fauna of Puerto Rico List of birds of Vieques El Toro WildernessReferences edit a b BirdLife International 2022 Puerto Rican Lizard cuckoo Coccyzus vieilloti IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2022 e T22684417A210614517 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2022 1 RLTS T22684417A210614517 en Retrieved 26 September 2022 a b c Check list of North and Middle American Birds American Ornithological Society August 2022 Retrieved August 9 2022 a b c d e f g h i Kendrick S W 2020 Puerto Rican Lizard Cuckoo Coccyzus vieilloti version 1 0 In Birds of the World T S Schulenberg Editor Cornell Lab of Ornithology Ithaca NY USA https doi org 10 2173 bow purlic1 01 retrieved September 26 2022 a b Gill F Donsker D Rasmussen P eds August 2022 Turacos bustards cuckoos mesites sandgrouse IOC World Bird List v 12 2 Retrieved August 8 2022 HBW and BirdLife International 2021 Handbook of the Birds of the World and BirdLife International digital checklist of the birds of the world Version 6 Available at http datazone birdlife org userfiles file Species Taxonomy HBW BirdLife Checklist v6 Dec21 zip retrieved August 7 2022Further reading editOberle Mark W 1999 Birds of Puerto Rico in Photographs Editorial Humanitas San Juan Puerto Rico 1st Edition Raffaele Herbert W 1989 A Guide to the Birds of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands Princeton University Press Princeton New Jersey USA Oberle Mark 2003 Las aves de Puerto Rico en fotografias in Spanish Editorial Humanitas p 14 ISBN 0 9650104 2 2 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Puerto Rican lizard cuckoo amp oldid 1189599163, 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