Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo

The Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo, known scientifically as Neomorphus geoffroyi, is a striking bird with a length of 45 to 51 cm, half of which is accounted for by its tail. It has a robust weight of 300 to 400 grams. This species is adorned with a heavy, decurved bill, a shaggy, glossy blue-black crest, and bright blue skin encircling the eye. The vent area is a distinctive rufous color, adding to its unique appearance.

Identification Tips

To identify this bird, look for its pale grayish green to horn-colored bill with a yellow tip, and its erectile crest. The sexes are similar in plumage, with adults displaying a cinnamon brown forehead, crown, and lower face, bronzy olive green upperparts and wings, and a glossy purple tail. The underparts are pale buff, with a black band across the chest and heavy paler semicircles that create a scaled effect.

Habitat

The Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo favors mature, undisturbed evergreen forests. It can also be found in riverside and seasonally flooded forests, as well as in dry forests, canebrakes, and thickets. Its elevation range varies from sea level to 1,450 m in Central America and up to 1,650 m in South America.

Distribution

This species is distributed across several countries, including Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru. Its range is wide but fragmented.

Behaviour

The Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo is a year-round resident in its range, predominantly terrestrial in nature. It is known for walking or running on the forest floor and can make powerful leaps to catch prey. It may take flight to escape predators, flying low or into trees.

Song & Calls

The principal vocalization of this bird is a low, drawn-out, moaning coo, which can be heard as "ooooooooooooooooop". Near army ant swarms, it emits a muffled, barking "woof" call and a sharp, loud "kchak!" call, likely to deter other birds from its prey.

Breeding

Breeding seasons vary with location, occurring in the northern summer in Central America and the austral summer in South America. The nest is a sturdy structure of sticks with a flatish cup of dry grass and fresh leaves, typically placed in a tree or shrub fork. Usually, a single egg is laid, with both parents believed to participate in incubation. The fledging period is estimated to be similar to the 20-day period of other Neomorphus cuckoos.

Diet and Feeding

The diet consists mainly of insects, other arthropods, small vertebrates like lizards, amphibians, and small birds, and occasionally fallen fruits. This cuckoo often follows army ant swarms, peccaries, and monkey troops to catch prey fleeing from them.

Conservation Status

The IUCN has classified the Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo as Vulnerable. The population is estimated to be between 63,000 and 127,000 mature individuals and is believed to be in decline. The species is threatened primarily by habitat fragmentation, as it requires large, undisturbed forests and is often one of the first species to disappear when habitat is fragmented.