MANGROVE CUCKOO 



fous, forming a rufous area conspicuous in flight; 

 outer tail feathers black, broadly tipped with 

 white; below dull white. Bill black above, 

 mostly yellow below. 



A winter visitor or migrant from the north. A 

 quiet and rather wary bird of slender build, 

 whose subdued coloration renders it inconspicu- 

 ous even when sitting on a branch in plain sight, 

 as long as it keeps still, so that it is usually 

 unnoticed until too close an approach frightens it 

 into taking flight. 



2. Coccyzus minor minor (Gmelin) 

 Mangrove Cuckoo 



Sexes alike. Length, about 295 mm. (11.60 



in.) ; tail, about 160 mm. (6.30 in.). Above gray- 

 ish brown, the tail darker terminally and tipped 

 with white; the upper two thirds of the ear 

 coverts dusky, the lower third of the ear coverts, 

 cheeks and remaining under parts, including 

 under wing coverts, dull cinnamon buff. Bill 

 black above, below the basal two thirds yellow. 

 Young. Similar to adults. 



The abrupt contrast between the gray-brown 

 upper parts and the cinnamon-buff lower parts in 

 this beautiful cuckoo is striking in life. Early 

 in January, 1921 I heard some low and beautiful 

 notes emanating from a large tree close to our 

 house at Quarry Heights. I went to an upper 

 porch and hid behind a pillar, calling back to the 

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