SECRETIVE AND timID CUCKOOS 
LOS CucoS SON TÍMIDOS Y SE ESCONDEN

ORDER: CUCULIFORmEs

FAMILY: CUCULIDAE

Twenty-one species with large to medium sizes with a long tails. Secretive and timid. Includes the road-runner – a bird not found in Colombia that eats rattle snakes. Cuckoos eat caterpillars, grubs, spiders, grasshoppers, lizards, fire-ants and other insects. Most tails are beautiful with white undertails. Some like to lay eggs in other bird’s nests. Live in dense forests. Some are nocturnal and may live up to 5 years.

Existen 21 especies de estas aves. Tienen tamaños variables y largas y hermosas colas. Son tímidos y se esconden. Estas aves se alimentan de gusanos, arañas, lagartijas, hormigas y otros insectos. Algunas especies ponen sus huevos en nidos de otros pájaros. Viven en bosques densos, algunos nocturnos y pueden vivir hasta los 5 años. Como dato curioso, en esta familia se encuentra el pájaro corre-caminos que come culebras cascabel (no existe en Colombia).

Greater Ani

Name in Spanish: Garrapatero Mayor - Cuco Negro

Size/Tamaño: 11 in | 27 cm
Location: Near water in the Llanos and Amazon regions and in the north of the country
Altura: <2600 m
Status: 

Photos by: ©Luis A. Materón 

Crotophaga major, Greater Ani

Crotophaga major

Male ♂︎

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Garrapatero mayor, Cuco Negro

Crotophaga major

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Greater ani
Crotophaga major

smooth-billed Ani

Name in Spanish: Garrapatero Piquiliso

Size/Tamaño: 14 in | 35 cm
Location: Common throughout the country
Altura: <2600 m
Status: 

Photos by: ©Michael McCloy
Macaulay Library

Smooth-billed ani, Garrapatero piquiliso, Crotophaga ani

Crotophaga ani

Male ♂︎

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Smooth-billed ani, Garrapatero piquiliso, Crotophaga ani

Crotophaga ani

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Smooth-billed ani
Crotophaga ani

Groove-billed Ani

Name in Spanish: Garrapatero Común - Garrapatero de Pico Liso

Size/Tamaño: 12 in | 30 cm
Location: Common in the north, Magdalena Valley, Eastern Llanos and Southwest
Altura: <500 m
Status: 

Photos by: ©Macaulay Library

Chrotophaga sulcirostris, Groove-billed ani, Garrapatero comun

Crotophaga sulcirostris

Male ♂︎

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Chrotophaga sulcirostris, Groove-billed ani, Garrapatero comun
Crotophaga sulcirostris

LITTLE cuckoo

Name in Spanish: Cuco-ardilla Chico

Size/Tamaño: 11 in | 27 cm
Location: Near water in the Llanos and Amazon regions as well as north of Colombia and north central and east ranges in Andes
Altura: <1500 m
Status: 

Photos by: ©Luis A. Materón 

Coccycua minuta, little cockoo

Coccycua minuta

Male ♂︎

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cuco ardilla chico

Coccycua minuta

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Little cuckoo
Coccycua minuta
Species of the family Cuculidae to photograph
Species de la familia Cuculidae por fotografiar

Scientific name Name in Spanish Name in English
Tapera naevia Cuco Sin-fin Striped Cuckoo
Dromococcyx phasianellus Cuco Faisán Pheasant Cuckoo
Dromococcyx pavoninus Cuco Pavonino Pavonine Cuckoo
Neomorphus geoffroyi Cuco-terrestre Collarejo Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo
Neomorphus radiolosus Cuco-terrestre Escamado Banded Ground-Cuckoo
Neomorphus rufipennis Cuco-terrestre Alirrufo Rufous-winged Ground-Cuckoo
Neomorphus pucheranii Cuco-terrestre Piquirrojo Red-billed Ground-Cuckoo
Coccycua pumila Cuco Enano Dwarf Cuckoo
Coccycua cinerea Cuco Cenizo Ash-colored Cuckoo
Piaya cayana Cuco-ardilla Común Squirrel Cuckoo
Piaya melanogaster Cuco-ardilla Buchinegro Black-bellied Cuckoo
Coccyzus melacoryphus Cuco Piquioscuro Dark-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus Cuco Americano Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus euleri Cuco Buchiblanco Pearly-breasted Cuckoo
Coccyzus minor Cuco Manglero Mangrove Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus Cuco Piquinegro Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus lansbergi Cuco Canelo Gray-capped Cuckoo