Carpococcyx radiceus
The Bornean Ground Cuckoo (Carpococcyx radiceus) is a large, strikingly beautiful and exceptionally elusive bird endemic to the island of Borneo. Measuring approximately 60-67 cm (24-26 inches) in length, it is characterized by its glossy iridescent blue-black plumage, a long, graduated tail, and strong, bright red legs. A distinctive feature is the bare, brightly colored facial skin, which can range from red and orange to bright blue, varying in intensity. This species belongs to the Cuculid...
Primarily found in dense primary and mature secondary lowland rainforests, often near ravines or forest edges. It generally occurs at elevations from sea level up to 1,700 meters, though it is more common below 1,200 meters.
Its diet primarily consists of large insects such as crickets, grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars, supplemented by small vertebrates like frogs, lizards, and snakes. It forages by walking on the forest floor, pecking and digging through leaf litter.
The Bornean Ground Cuckoo is a highly secretive and predominantly terrestrial species, spending most of its time foraging on the forest floor. Active during the day, it moves stealthily through dense undergrowth, often running swiftly with its tail cocked, or freezing for long periods to avoid de...
The Bornean Ground Cuckoo is strictly endemic to the island of Borneo, where it is a resident across the Malaysian states of Sarawak and Sabah, the Indonesian provinces of Kalimantan, and the sovereign nation of Brunei. Its distribution is fragmented, primarily restricted to remaining tracts of p...
Vulnerable
- The Bornean Ground Cuckoo is one of only three species in the genus Carpococcyx, all known for their terrestrial habits. - Unlike many cuckoos famous for laying eggs in other birds' nests, this species builds its own nest and raises its young. - Its scientific name, *radiceus*, means "of roots,...