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CUCKOOS (CUCULIDAE; 10+ SPECIES) Worldwide, notably diverse family found

mainly in warmer climates; most species rather long-tailed, all have 2 toes pointing forward, 2

backward. Ages similar or different, attaining adult appearance in 1st year; sexes similar.

YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO  Coccyzus americanus 28–30.5cm. Nonbr.

migrant to varied wooded, forested, and scrubby habitats, including hedgerows,

coastal scrub, humid forest edge, mangroves. Forages low to high: hops and peers

about in foliage for caterpillars, other invertebrates; often sluggish and easily

overlooked. Flight fast and direct, often slipping into cover and vanishing. Note

clean white underparts, big white tail spots, bright rusty flash in wings, bright

yellow on bill; cf. Black-billed and Mangrove Cuckoos. Juv. has less contrasting

tail pattern than adult. Typically silent in Costa Rica. STATUS: Fairly common to

uncommon Sep–Nov, Apr–May, mainly in lowlands and foothills; rare in winter,

mainly on Pacific slope. (Breeds N America and Mexico, winters S America.)

BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO  Coccyzus erythropthalmus 27.5–30cm. Transient

migrant in varied wooded and forested habitats from humid forest to coastal

scrub, mangroves. Habits like Yellow-billed Cuckoo, and thus easily overlooked

and infrequently encountered. Note dingy whitish underparts, weak pattern on

underside of tail, dark bill. Cf. Yellow-billed and Mangrove Cuckoos. Typically

silent in Costa Rica. STATUS:  Uncommon Sep–Nov, Apr–May, mainly in

lowlands and foothills. (Breeds N America, winters S America.)

MANGROVE CUCKOO  Coccyzus minor 30.5–33cm. Handsome cuckoo of

dry forest and edge, gallery forest, second growth, semi-open areas with taller

trees, mangroves. Habits much like Yellow-billed Cuckoo. Like most cuckoos,

often suns itself in early morning, at times on exposed branches. Note buff

underparts, dark mask, big white tail spots, bright yellow on bill; cf. Yellow-

billed Cuckoo. Juv. has less contrasting tail pattern. SOUNDS: Mostly silent

unless breeding. Song a typically accelerating series of harsh croaks, 6–9 secs,

ending with an abrupt switch to a quieter short series of lower coos, AHRR,

AHRR, AHRR-AAHR-AAHR...owh-owh...; sometimes preceded by quiet dry

rattle of 1–2 secs. STATUS: Uncommon Nov–May on Pacific slope, scarce on Caribbean slope, to 1500m;

scarce and local Jun–Oct, and may breed along Pacific coast. (Mexico to n. S America.)

GROOVE-BILLED ANI  Crotophaga sulcirostris 30.5–34.5cm. The common

and widespread ani in most of Costa Rica, found in open and semi-open

habitats, from ranchland to forest edge, often around livestock. Social, usually

in small groups. Perches on wires, hops readily on ground, clambers in foliage,

long tail often loosely flopped about. Flight distinctive: rapid flaps interspersed

with flat-winged glides, one bird following another across a field or road; often

crash-lands into foliage. Bill shape and habits distinctive, except for very local

overlap with slightly larger Smooth-billed Ani (which see), often best separated

by voice. SOUNDS: Common call a squeaky pí-chwiep or pí-weérp, emphasis on

1st note, often in short series. Other varied piping, squealing, and growling noises. STATUS: Fairly common

to common on both slopes to 1500m, locally inland to 2000m; absent from s. Pacific lowlands, where

replaced by Smooth-billed Ani. (Mexico to S America.)

SMOOTH-BILLED ANI  Crotophaga ani 33–37cm. Replaces Groove-billed Ani

on s. Pacific slope. Habits much like Groove-billed but flight a little stronger.

Slightly larger than Groove-billed (noticeable in direct comparison), but often

best detected and identified by voice. Also note more raised culmen of Smooth-

billed (especially male), smooth bill sides (can be hard to see, and juv. Groove-

billed has smooth bill, lacking grooves for a few months after fledging).

SOUNDS: Slurred squealing whistles, distinct from Groove-billed Ani, typically

reeéah or wheeéreh, can suggest a hawk. Other squealing, mewing, and clucking

sounds. STATUS: Fairly common to common on s. Pacific slope, to 1200m; may

be spreading north. (Caribbean region to S America.)