Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Pheasant Cuckoo
Dromococcyx phasianellus
Pheasant Cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 14 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Pheasant Cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Central America & Caribbean and South America. Adults weigh 84.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Dromococcyx
- Species phasianellus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 84.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Pheasant Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Pheasant Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Pheasant Cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across Central America & Caribbean and South America. Its distribution covers MA, SA s Mexico to n Argentina.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 84.5 g, with a wing length of about 16.3 cm and a tail of around 21.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 9.6 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Pheasant Cuckoo?
The Pheasant Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 84.5 g.
Where does the Pheasant Cuckoo live?
The Pheasant Cuckoo is found across Central America & Caribbean and South America with a range covering MA, SA s Mexico to n Argentina, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Pheasant Cuckoo belong to?
The Pheasant Cuckoo (Dromococcyx phasianellus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Pheasant Cuckoo eat?
The Pheasant Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Pheasant Cuckoo migrate?
The Pheasant Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Pheasant Cuckoo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Pheasant Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Pheasant Cuckoo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Pheasant Cuckoo's range?
The Pheasant Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 9.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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