Photo: Hector Bottai / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-bellied Cuckoo
Piaya melanogaster
Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) — Cuckoos & Turacos of South America.
Found across 8 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in South America. Adults weigh 103 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 Piaya
- Species melanogaster
Where it lives
Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas to northern Bolivia and south-central Brazil
Quick facts
- Weight
- 103 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across South America. Its distribution covers SA Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas to n Bolivia and sc Brazil.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 103 g, with a wing length of about 13.5 cm and a tail of around 21.2 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 4.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-bellied Cuckoo?
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 103 g.
Where does the Black-bellied Cuckoo live?
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is found across South America with a range covering SA Colombia, Venezuela and the Guianas to n Bolivia and sc Brazil, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black-bellied Cuckoo belong to?
The Black-bellied Cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Black-bellied Cuckoo eat?
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-bellied Cuckoo migrate?
The Black-bellied Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-bellied 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 Black-bellied Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Black-bellied Cuckoo — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-bellied Cuckoo's range?
The Black-bellied Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 4.8 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.
Explore more birds
More in Cuculidae
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Cuckoos & Turacos
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern