Piaya melanogaster
The Black-bellied Cuckoo (*Piaya melanogaster*) is a striking resident of the Amazonian lowlands, a non-brood parasitic cuckoo renowned for its unique plumage and agile arboreal habits. Measuring approximately 36-40 cm (14-16 inches) in length and weighing 90-120 grams (3.2-4.2 ounces), this species exhibits a rich, dark rufous coloration across its head, neck, back, and upper breast. Its most distinctive field mark, and the source of its common name, is the stark, glossy black lower breast, ...
Found in tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, gallery forests, and secondary growth, typically in the canopy and subcanopy from sea level up to 1500 meters.
Feeds primarily on large insects such as caterpillars (including hairy varieties), orthopterans, mantids, stick insects, cicadas, and beetles, as well as spiders. Occasionally consumes small lizards or fruits.
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is a diurnal and generally solitary or paired bird, often observed actively moving through the dense foliage of the forest canopy and subcanopy. It employs an active foraging strategy, gleaning large insects and spiders from leaves and branches, often pursuing prey with q...
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is a non-migratory resident species distributed widely across the Amazon Basin and the Guianas in South America. Its range encompasses vast areas of Brazil, northern Bolivia, eastern Peru, eastern Ecuador, eastern and central Colombia, southern and eastern Venezuela, Guya...
Least Concern
- Unlike many cuckoos, the Black-bellied Cuckoo is NOT a brood parasite; it builds its own nest and raises its own young. - Its striking black belly is a key distinguishing feature, as its closest relatives in the genus *Piaya*, like the Squirrel Cuckoo, have rufous underparts. - This species is ...