- Neomorphus pucheranii
Identification
43 - 51cm.
- Green-glossed upperparts
- Black crest with purple gloss
- Rufous wings with black outer primaries, glossed violet
- Green-glossed purplish black tail
- Grey throat
- Scaled black breast with black breastband
- Buffy to light grey belly
- Red bare skin on face, blue behind the eye
- Red bill
Sexes similar. Juveniles have a loose-webbed plumage, unglossed brown above, dark brown wings, a brown belly and a blackish throat and breast.
Distribution
Found in eastern Peru and western Brazil. Records also in southern Colombia and eastern Ecuador.
A rare and little known species.
Taxonomy
Two subspecies recognized:
- N. p. pucheranii in Amazonian Peru and western Brazil north or the river Amazon
- N. p. lepidophanes in Amazonian Peru and western Brazil south or the river Amazon
The described subspecies napensis is usually included in the nominate subspecies.
Forms a superspecies with Rufous-winged Ground Cuckoo.
Habitat
Subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests. Excusively found in terra firme forest with 20 - 25m high canopy. Occurs from lowlands up to 700m.
Behaviour
A terrestrial bird, often seen with army ant swarms, eating exposed insects and small vertebrates as well as fruits. Probably also associates with peccaries.
Few data about breeding. Presumably a non-parasitic species.
Resident.
References
- 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/
- 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
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Red-billed Ground Cuckoo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Red-billed_Ground_Cuckoo
