Dromococcyx phasianellus
The Pheasant Cuckoo, *Dromococcyx phasianellus*, is a strikingly cryptic Neotropical bird, often recognized more by its distinctive calls than its elusive presence. Measuring 28-36 cm (11-14 inches) in length and weighing 50-70 grams, it is characterized by its long, graduated, pheasant-like tail, which is frequently held cocked. Key identification marks include a prominent rufous crown, a dark blackish-brown mask extending through the eye, and a contrasting bright white supercilium that stan...
Found in dense undergrowth of humid evergreen and semi-deciduous forests, secondary growth, and forest edges, typically from lowlands up to 2000 meters elevation.
Primarily insectivorous, feeding on large insects such as mantids, grasshoppers, cicadas, beetles, and caterpillars, occasionally supplementing its diet with small lizards or frogs, captured via sallying.
The Pheasant Cuckoo is notoriously secretive and solitary, spending much of its time skulking in dense undergrowth, making it an infrequent sight for even seasoned observers. It primarily forages by sallying from a low, concealed perch to snatch large insects from foliage or the ground, often fli...
The Pheasant Cuckoo boasts an extensive Neotropical breeding and resident range, spanning from southern Mexico, specifically Veracruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas, southwards through the entirety of Central America, including Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama. Its distributio...
Least Concern
- Named for its unusually long, graduated tail, reminiscent of a pheasant's. - It is an obligate brood parasite, meaning it never builds its own nest but lays its eggs in the nests of other bird species. - Females are known to lay eggs that are remarkably small for the cuckoo's size, often matchi...