The mangrove cuckoo (Coccyzus minor ) is a species of cuckoo that is native to the Neotropics.
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
Oviparous animals are female animals that lay their eggs, with little or no other embryonic development within the mother. This is the reproductive...
Altricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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MigratingAnimal migration is the relatively long-distance movement of individual animals, usually on a seasonal basis. It is the most common form of migrati...
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starts withAdults have a long tail, brown above and black-and-white below, and a black curved bill with yellow on the lower mandible. The head and upper parts are brown. There is a yellow ring around the eye. This bird is best distinguished by its black facial mask and buffy underparts. Although the scientific name is minor (meaning "small"), this species is on average the largest of North America's three Coccyzus cuckoos. Adults measure 28–34 cm (11–13 in) in length, weigh 64–102 g (2.3–3.6 oz) and span 38–43 cm (15–17 in) across the wings. The most common call heard is a guttural "gawk gawk gawk gawk gauk gauk". It will also call a single "whit".
The mangrove cuckoo is a resident of southern Florida in the United States, the Caribbean, both coasts of Mexico and Central America, and the Atlantic coast of South America as far south as the mouth of the Amazon River. The mangrove cuckoo is generally fairly common in its specialized range. This bird could be threatened by human development of mangrove habitat.
It prefers caterpillars and grasshoppers, but will also take other insects, spiders, snails, small lizards, and fruit.
This cuckoo is found primarily in mangrove swamps and hammocks. It usually nests 2–3 metres (6.6–9.8 ft) above water in a mangrove tree or in a fork of a tree above ground.