Black-bellied Cuckoo
Piaya melanogaster
Silhouette: Nicolas Huet le Jeune and Jean-Gabriel Prêtre (vectorized by T. Michael Keesey) · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderCuculiformes (Cuckoos)
- FamilyCuculidae (Cuckoos)
- GenusPiaya (Squirrel and Black-bellied Cuckoos)
- SpeciesPiaya melanogaster (Black-bellied Cuckoo)
About the Black-bellied Cuckoo
The black-bellied cuckoo or black-bellied squirrel cuckoo (Piaya melanogaster) is a bird of the family Cuculidae found in the Amazon region. Even though this species has a wide distribution, little is known about its ecology and natural history. The word melanogaster means "black belly"; it has Greek roots, melas meaning "black" and gaster meaning "belly".
The average length of adults is between 38 and 40.5 cm. The beak is of an intense purple/red color, the iris is dark red with a blue orbital skin and one yellow mole at the anterior side of each eye. The head is grey and contrasts with the ruffled back. The throat and chest are brown-reddish, cinnamon color and the belly and undertail coverts are black. The tail is black with conspicuous white stripes. The juveniles resemble adults.
P. melanogaster occurs within the range of the similar squirrel cuckoo (Piaya cayana). Black-bellied cuckoos are distinguished by a dark face and grey crown. The squirrel cuckoo has exposed yellow-greenish skin in the orbital area, the chest plumage is grey and it lacks the characteristic hood of the black-bellied cuckoo.
Their characteristic song is "dyerií-dyu, dyerií-dyu... Wikipedia →
Recent sightings of Black-bellied Cuckoo in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve
Squirrel Cuckoo
Piaya cayana
Little Cuckoo
Piaya minuta
Greater Ani
Crotophaga major
Smooth-billed Ani
Crotophaga ani
Pheasant Cuckoo
Dromococcyx phasianellus
Rufous-vented Ground-Cuckoo
Neomorphus geoffroyi
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Striped Cuckoo
Tapera naevia
Dark-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus melacoryphus
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yasuní National Park | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 2 | Anavilhanas National Park | 🇧🇷 Brazil | |
| 3 | Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve | 🇪🇨 Ecuador | |
| 4 | Brownsberg Nature Park | 🇸🇷 Suriname | |
| 5 | Manu National Park | 🇵🇪 Peru | |
| 6 | Amacayacu National Natural Park | 🇨🇴 Colombia | |
| 7 | Tambopata National Reserve | 🇵🇪 Peru |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Black-bellied Cuckoo in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-bellied Cuckoo sighting in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve, based on 304 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Black-bellied Cuckoo in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve?
June has the highest sighting rate for Black-bellied Cuckoo in Cuyabeno Wildlife Reserve in our monthly data.