The squirrel cuckoo (Piaya cayana) is a large and active species of cuckoo found in wooded habitats from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay, and on Trinidad. Some authorities have split off the western Mexican form as the Mexican squirrel-cuckoo (Piaya mexicana).[2]
The contrasting undertail plumage. Note the red eye-ring, typical of squirrel cuckoos in most of South America
Chan Chich Lodge area - Belize
This large and extremely long-tailed cuckoo is 40.5–50 cm (15.9–19.7 in) long and weighs 95–120 g (3.4–4.2 oz).[3] The adult has mainly chestnut upperparts and head, becoming paler on the throat. The lower breast is grey and the belly is blackish. The central tail feathers are rufous, but the outer are black with white tips. The bill is yellow and the iris is red. Immature birds have a grey bill and eyering, brown iris, and less white in the tail. It resembles the little cuckoo, but that species is smaller and has a darker throat.
There are a number of subspecies with minor plumage variations. For example, P. c. mehleri, one of the South American subspecies, has mainly brown (not black) outer tail feathers. Additionally, the subspecies from Mexico, Central America, and northern and western South America have a yellow eye-ring, but this is red in the remaining part of South America.
It makes explosive kip! and kip! weeuu calls, and the song is a whistled wheep wheep wheep wheep.
Habitat and behavior
Squirrel cuckoo with a large caterpillar. Note the yellow eye-ring (the eye itself is reddish), typical of the subspecies from Mexico, Central America, and northern and western South America
The squirrel cuckoo is found in woodland canopy and edges, second growth, hedges and semi-open habitats from sea level to as high as 2,500 m (8,200 ft), although it is uncommon above 1,200 m (3,900 ft).
This species’ English name derives from its habit of running along branches and leaping from branch to branch like a squirrel. It normally flies only short distances, mainly gliding with an occasional flap.
It feeds on large insects such as cicadas, wasps and caterpillars (including those with stinging hairs or spines), and occasionally spiders, small amphibians and reptiles,[4] such as small lizards, rarely taking fruit.[5] Its non-flying prey is typically taken off the foliage with a quick lunge, but wasps may be caught on the wing. Squirrel cuckoos are often observed to forage peacefully alongside small mammals such as common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus) during the dry season for cocoa beans. In particular, they can be seen to attend army ant columns together, picking off prey flushed by the ants, and occasionally will join mixed-species feeding flocks.[6][7][8]
The nest is a cup of leaves on a twig foundation, hidden in dense vegetation 1–12 m (3.3–39.4 ft) high in a tree. The female lays two white eggs.
The squirrel cuckoo is plentiful in most of its range and appears to be quite tolerant of human disturbance, as long as woodland remains.[8] Compared to many cuckoos in the world, it is relatively bold and conspicuous, although it is most often encountered skulking about within vegetation. Owing to its wide range, it is considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN.[1]
References
^ abBirdLife International (2020). "Piaya cayana". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2020: e.T61418830A163878817. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T61418830A163878817.en. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
^Machado, C. G. (1999). "A composição dos bandos mistos de aves na Mata Atlântica da Serra de Paranapiacaba, no sudeste brasileiro" [Mixed flocks of birds in Atlantic Rain Forest in Serra de Paranapiacaba, southeastern Brazil]. Revista Brasileira de Biologia. 59: 75–85. doi:10.1590/S0034-71081999000100010.
^Lyra-Neves, R. M. D.; Oliveira, M. A. B.; Telino-Júnior, W. R.; Santos, E. M. D. (2007). "Comportamentos interespecíficos entre Callithrix jacchus (Linnaeus) (Primates, Callitrichidae) e algumas aves de Mata Atlântica, Pernambuco, Brasil" [Interspecific behaviour between Callithrix jacchus (Linnaeus) (Callitrichidae, Primates) and some birds of the Atlantic forest, Pernanbuco State, Brazil]. Revista Brasileira de Zoologia. 24 (3): 709. doi:10.1590/S0101-81752007000300022.
^ abFoster, M. S. (2007). "The potential of fruit trees to enhance converted habitats for migrating birds in southern Mexico". Bird Conservation International. 17: 45–61. doi:10.1017/S0959270906000554.
Further reading
ffrench, Richard; O'Neill, John Patton; Eckelberry, Don R. (1991). A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago (2nd ed.). Ithaca, N.Y.: Comstock Publishing. ISBN978-0-8014-9792-6.
Hilty, Steven L. (2003). Birds of Venezuela. Princeton University Press. ISBN978-0-7136-6418-8.
Stiles, F. Gary; Skutch, Alexander F. (1989). A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica. Comstock Publishing Associates. ISBN978-0-8014-9600-4.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Piaya cayana.
Wikispecies has information related to Piaya cayana.
Squirrel cuckoo photo gallery at VIREO (Drexel University)
Squirrel cuckoo species account at Neotropical Birds (Cornell Lab of Ornithology)
Interactive range map of Piaya cayana at IUCN Red List maps
December 30, 2022
squirrel, cuckoo, squirrel, cuckoo, piaya, cayana, large, active, species, cuckoo, found, wooded, habitats, from, northwestern, mexico, northern, argentina, uruguay, trinidad, some, authorities, have, split, western, mexican, form, mexican, squirrel, cuckoo, p. The squirrel cuckoo Piaya cayana is a large and active species of cuckoo found in wooded habitats from northwestern Mexico to northern Argentina and Uruguay and on Trinidad Some authorities have split off the western Mexican form as the Mexican squirrel cuckoo Piaya mexicana 2 Squirrel cuckooConservation statusLeast Concern IUCN 3 1 1 Scientific classificationKingdom AnimaliaPhylum ChordataClass AvesOrder CuculiformesFamily CuculidaeGenus PiayaSpecies P cayanaBinomial namePiaya cayana Linnaeus 1766 SynonymsCuculus cayanus Linnaeus 1766 Contents 1 Description 2 Habitat and behavior 3 References 4 Further reading 5 External linksDescription Edit The contrasting undertail plumage Note the red eye ring typical of squirrel cuckoos in most of South America Chan Chich Lodge area Belize This large and extremely long tailed cuckoo is 40 5 50 cm 15 9 19 7 in long and weighs 95 120 g 3 4 4 2 oz 3 The adult has mainly chestnut upperparts and head becoming paler on the throat The lower breast is grey and the belly is blackish The central tail feathers are rufous but the outer are black with white tips The bill is yellow and the iris is red Immature birds have a grey bill and eyering brown iris and less white in the tail It resembles the little cuckoo but that species is smaller and has a darker throat There are a number of subspecies with minor plumage variations For example P c mehleri one of the South American subspecies has mainly brown not black outer tail feathers Additionally the subspecies from Mexico Central America and northern and western South America have a yellow eye ring but this is red in the remaining part of South America It makes explosive kip and kip weeuu calls and the song is a whistled wheep wheep wheep wheep Habitat and behavior Edit Squirrel cuckoo with a large caterpillar Note the yellow eye ring the eye itself is reddish typical of the subspecies from Mexico Central America and northern and western South America The squirrel cuckoo is found in woodland canopy and edges second growth hedges and semi open habitats from sea level to as high as 2 500 m 8 200 ft although it is uncommon above 1 200 m 3 900 ft This species English name derives from its habit of running along branches and leaping from branch to branch like a squirrel It normally flies only short distances mainly gliding with an occasional flap It feeds on large insects such as cicadas wasps and caterpillars including those with stinging hairs or spines and occasionally spiders small amphibians and reptiles 4 such as small lizards rarely taking fruit 5 Its non flying prey is typically taken off the foliage with a quick lunge but wasps may be caught on the wing Squirrel cuckoos are often observed to forage peacefully alongside small mammals such as common marmosets Callithrix jacchus during the dry season for cocoa beans In particular they can be seen to attend army ant columns together picking off prey flushed by the ants and occasionally will join mixed species feeding flocks 6 7 8 The nest is a cup of leaves on a twig foundation hidden in dense vegetation 1 12 m 3 3 39 4 ft high in a tree The female lays two white eggs The squirrel cuckoo is plentiful in most of its range and appears to be quite tolerant of human disturbance as long as woodland remains 8 Compared to many cuckoos in the world it is relatively bold and conspicuous although it is most often encountered skulking about within vegetation Owing to its wide range it is considered a species of Least Concern by the IUCN 1 References Edit a b BirdLife International 2020 Piaya cayana IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020 e T61418830A163878817 doi 10 2305 IUCN UK 2020 3 RLTS T61418830A163878817 en Retrieved 19 November 2021 BirdLife species factsheet for Piaya mexicana Squirrel Cuckoo Oiseaux birds com Retrieved 3 May 2014 https sta uwi edu fst lifesciences sites default files lifesciences documents ogatt Piaya cayana 20 20Squirrel 20Cuckoo 20or 20Coucou 20Manioc pdf bare URL PDF e g of Trophis racemosa Moraceae Machado C G 1999 A composicao dos bandos mistos de aves na Mata Atlantica da Serra de Paranapiacaba no sudeste brasileiro Mixed flocks of birds in Atlantic Rain Forest in Serra de Paranapiacaba southeastern Brazil Revista Brasileira de Biologia 59 75 85 doi 10 1590 S0034 71081999000100010 Lyra Neves R M D Oliveira M A B Telino Junior W R Santos E M D 2007 Comportamentos interespecificos entre Callithrix jacchus Linnaeus Primates Callitrichidae e algumas aves de Mata Atlantica Pernambuco Brasil Interspecific behaviour between Callithrix jacchus Linnaeus Callitrichidae Primates and some birds of the Atlantic forest Pernanbuco State Brazil Revista Brasileira de Zoologia 24 3 709 doi 10 1590 S0101 81752007000300022 a b Foster M S 2007 The potential of fruit trees to enhance converted habitats for migrating birds in southern Mexico Bird Conservation International 17 45 61 doi 10 1017 S0959270906000554 Further reading Editffrench Richard O Neill John Patton Eckelberry Don R 1991 A Guide to the Birds of Trinidad and Tobago 2nd ed Ithaca N Y Comstock Publishing ISBN 978 0 8014 9792 6 Hilty Steven L 2003 Birds of Venezuela Princeton University Press ISBN 978 0 7136 6418 8 Stiles F Gary Skutch Alexander F 1989 A Guide to the Birds of Costa Rica Comstock Publishing Associates ISBN 978 0 8014 9600 4 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Piaya cayana Wikispecies has information related to Piaya cayana Squirrel cuckoo media Internet Bird Collection Squirrel cuckoo photo gallery at VIREO Drexel University Squirrel cuckoo species account at Neotropical Birds Cornell Lab of Ornithology Interactive range map of Piaya cayana at IUCN Red List maps Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Squirrel cuckoo amp oldid 1119606795, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
