About the Dark-billed Cuckoo
The dark-billed cuckoo is a species of bird in the tribe Phaenicophaeini, subfamily Cuculinae of the cuckoo family Cuculidae. It is regularly found in every mainland South American country except Chile plus the Galápagos Islands. It has also occurred as a vagrant in Chile and several other countries and islands.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
The dark-billed cuckoo is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11.0 in) long, about half of which is the tail. Males weigh about 42 to 54 g (1.5 to 1.9 oz) and females about 50 to 66 g (1.8 to 2.3 oz). Males and females have the same plumage. They have a gray crown and nape and grayish brown upperparts. Their wings are a darker grayish brown with no rufous. The upper surface of their tail is brown; the underside of the central pair of feathers is brown with black tips, the next pair blackish with narrow white tips, and the rest black with wide white tips. Voice: The dark-billed cuckoo's song is variously described as "six to eight resonant, buzzy kazoo-like notes" and "a ventriloquial ga-ga-ga-go-go." Another vocalization is "a descending series of guttural notes" that may also be a song. It makes "a dry-sounding buzz...dddddrr" call.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
Recorded as a rare visitor in United States, Chile.
When to see it
Peak activity in November · a variable species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Grey-capped CuckooCoccyzus lansbergiThe grey-capped cuckoo is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long, about half of which is the tail.
Pearly-breasted CuckooCoccyzus euleriThe pearly-breasted cuckoo is 25 to 28 cm (9.8 to 11 in) long, about half of which is the tail.
Cocos CuckooCoccyzus ferrugineusThe Cocos cuckoo is 32 to 33 cm (13 to 13 in) long, about half of which is the tail, and weighs about 70 g (2.5 oz).
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