Photo: Drferry / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Lesser Ground Cuckoo
Morococcyx erythropygus
Lesser Ground Cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of Central America & Caribbean.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in Central America & Caribbean. Adults weigh 64.5 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 Morococcyx
- Species erythropygus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 64.5 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. It is found across Central America & Caribbean. Its distribution covers MA w Mexico to nw Costa Rica.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 64.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.9 cm and a tail of around 12.8 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 359,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Lesser Ground Cuckoo?
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 64.5 g.
Where does the Lesser Ground Cuckoo live?
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo is found across Central America & Caribbean with a range covering MA w Mexico to nw Costa Rica, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Lesser Ground Cuckoo belong to?
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo (Morococcyx erythropygus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Lesser Ground Cuckoo eat?
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Lesser Ground Cuckoo migrate?
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Lesser Ground 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 Lesser Ground Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Lesser Ground 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 Lesser Ground Cuckoo's range?
The Lesser Ground Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 359,000 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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