English              -               Squirrel Cuckoo

Portuguese        -              Alma-de-Gato

Latin                   -               Piaya Cayana

I think the Squirrel Cuckoo is a cool looking bird and one bird that took me a while to photograph when I was staying at REGUA. (Reserva Ecológica de Guapiaçu) I saw it quite a few times before I managed to photograph it as it tended to stick quite high in the canopy but I started to get lucky photographing it as the above photos were taken on different days. I mainly saw and photograph the Squirrel Cuckoo in the wetlands (Yellow trail) at REGUA. I was able to observe it for quite a while on most occasion but it will quickly move on with any disturbance.

* The Squirrel Cuckoo has its name because resembles a red squirrel when moving along branches with its rufous plumage and its long tail.  

* Medium size bird with a length of around 50 cm and weighs around 110 g.

* The Squirrel Cuckoo utters explosive “chik” followed by gruff “whrrr” type sounds.

* It ranges from Mexico and Central America, down through South America from Peru to North Argentina and Uruguay.

* The Squirrel Cuckoo inhabits a variety of forested habitats across its range, including humid to semi-humid forest, deciduous forest, forest edge, second growth, plantations, and even scattered trees in open country.

* The Squirrel Cuckoo is primarily insectivorous but will also take small lizards and some small fruit.

* The female typically lays 2 eggs which are incubation for 18-19 days. The young begin to leave the nest eight days after hatching. 

* The Squirrel Cuckoo can produce several broods per year.

* The Squirrel Cuckoo population is not globally threatened. They have a very large range and are described as common to very common in most parts of its wide range, therefore the Squirrel Cuckoo is classified as a species ”of least concern”.