Scaled Ground Cuckoo - BirdForum Opus

Neomorphus squamiger

Identification

50cm. A large Ground Cuckoo.

• Glossed green wings
• Black crest
• Buff to cinnamon-brown forehead
• Breast with dusky semcircular bands
• Indistinct narrow black band on chest
• Buff rest of underparts, rufous vent
• Blue bare facial skin, eye brown
• Large yellow-green bill

Sexes similar. Juveniles are duller and darker.

Distribution

Brazil south of Amazon river (lower Rio Tapajós region).
A rare restricted-range species.

Taxonomy

This is a monotypic species.
It's sometimes included in Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo.

Habitat

Moist lowland forests.

Behaviour

A poorly known species. Diet probably very similar to Rufous-vented Ground Cuckoo. Probably also follows ants, peccaries and primates.
No information about breeding.
A resident species.

References

1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, B.L. Sullivan, C. L. Wood, and D. Roberson. 2013. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: Version 6.8., with updates to August 2013. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221
3. Birdlife International

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Scaled Ground Cuckoo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 20 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Scaled_Ground_Cuckoo

External Links

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