Coccyzus minor
The Mangrove Cuckoo (Coccyzus minor) is a medium-sized, elusive arboreal bird, measuring 28-34 cm (11-13.4 in) in length with a wingspan of 38-43 cm (15-17 in) and weighing 55-85 g (1.9-3 oz). Its distinctive physical appearance includes grey-brown upperparts, buffy to cinnamon underparts, a prominent black mask extending through the eye, and a long tail with blackish undertail feathers broadly tipped with white. A broad rufous patch on its primaries is often visible in flight, aiding identif...
Primarily inhabits mangrove forests, coastal hammocks, and dense shrublands, typically found at low elevations near saltwater or brackish environments.
Feeds predominantly on large insects, especially caterpillars (including hairy ones that other birds avoid), grasshoppers, katydids, cicadas, and beetles, supplemented with spiders and occasionally small lizards; foraging primarily by gleaning.
Mangrove Cuckoos are diurnal and notoriously secretive, spending much of their time moving stealthily through dense foliage. They employ a 'sit-and-wait' foraging strategy, gleaning insects from leaves and branches with slow, deliberate movements, often remaining motionless for extended periods. ...
The Mangrove Cuckoo is primarily a resident species with a broad distribution throughout coastal regions of the Neotropics. Its core range spans South Florida (including the Everglades and Florida Keys), the Greater and Lesser Antilles, the Caribbean coast of Mexico (especially the Yucatán Penins...
Least Concern
- Despite its name, this cuckoo is famously difficult to spot, often being identified by its distinctive calls rather than sight. - Unlike many Old World cuckoo species, the Mangrove Cuckoo builds its own nest and raises its own young, exhibiting no brood parasitism. - Its calls are often describ...