The lesser ground cuckoo is a species of cuckoo in the tribe Neomorphini of subfamily Crotophaginae. It is found in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, and Nicaragua.
Region
Mesoamerica
Typical Environment
Occurs from the Pacific slope of western and southern Mexico south through Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua to northwestern Costa Rica. It favors tropical dry forest, thorn scrub, and semi-open woodland with dense understory. Often found along forest edges, brushy ravines, and secondary growth, including hedgerows near agriculture. Prefers areas with ample leaf litter for foraging and scattered low shrubs for cover.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A secretive ground-dwelling cuckoo, it often runs through leaf litter with its tail held high, flying only in short bursts. Its haunting, whistled song carries far and is often given from dense cover, making it hard to locate. Unlike many Old World cuckoos, it builds its own nest and raises its young.
Temperament
skulking but curious
Flight Pattern
short rapid low flights; mostly terrestrial
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs, moving quietly through dense understory. Forms monogamous pairs during the breeding season and builds a shallow cup or platform nest low in shrubs or small trees. Both adults participate in incubation and chick rearing, with small clutches typically of 2–3 eggs.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A clear, mournful, whistled series, often a repeated whoo or hoo notes that carry over distance. Calls are delivered from hidden perches, sometimes in responsive bouts with neighbors, and are most frequent at dawn and dusk.
Plumage
Upperparts olive-brown with a warm buffy underside; tail long and graduated with dark feathers tipped white. Rump and uppertail coverts show a rich rufous tone. Face striking with bare, colorful skin around the eye and a subtle pale supercilium.
Diet
Primarily hunts insects and other arthropods, including beetles, grasshoppers, caterpillars, spiders, and scorpions. Will also take small vertebrates such as lizards when available and occasionally small fruits or seeds. Forages by walking and pausing to glean or pounce, often flicking its tail and turning leaf litter to expose prey.
Preferred Environment
Feeds on or near the ground within dense brush, thickets, and forest edges. Also uses open patches with scattered shrubs, trails, and shaded ravines where leaf litter is deep.
