Cuckoo

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For other uses, see Cuckoo (disambiguation).

{{Taxobox | color = pink | name = Cuckoos | image_caption = Pallid Cuckoo | regnum = Animalia | phylum = Chordata | classis = Aves | ordo = Cuculiformes | familia = Cuculidae | familia_authority = Vigors, 1825 | subdivision_ranks = Genera | subdivision = See text. }}

The Cuculidae or cuckoos are a family of near passerine birds. Many of the Old World species and some New World species are brood parasites, laying their eggs in the nests of other birds. The best-known example is the European Common Cuckoo. The chick which hatches from the egg laid in another species' nest methodically evicts all other occupants.

The family also includes the American cuckoos, the roadrunners, the anis, and the coucals, none of which are brood parasites. Each build their own nests in trees or bushes. Unlike many cuckoos, the coucals lay their eggs in nests on the ground or in low shrubs. These large tropical cuckoos are capable of taking vertebrate prey such as lizards.

These birds are of variable size with slender bodies, long tails and strong legs. Most occur in forests, but some prefer more open country. Most are insect eaters, with hairy caterpillars, which are avoided by many birds, being a speciality. By morphology the cuckoos have 10 primaries and 9 to 13 secondaries in their wing.

  • Malkohas have 9 primaries
  • Coccyzus, Piaya - 9
  • Cuculus - 9 or 10 primaries.
  • Hierococcyx,Pachycoccyx,Clamator levaillantii, Centropus - 10
  • Microdynamis, Eudynamys,Clamator glandarius - 11
  • Some coucals 12
  • Channel-billed Cuckoo (Scythrops novaehollandiae) - 13

The group gets its English and scientific names from the call of the Common Cuckoo, which is also familar from cuckoo clocks.

The order Cuculiformes, in addition to the cuckoos, also includes the turacos (family Musophagidae, sometimes treated as a separate order, Musophagiformes). Some zoologists have also included the unique Hoatzin in the Cuculiformes, though it is now placed in an order of its own, Opisthocomiformes. The taxonomy of this enigmatic species, however, remains in some dispute.

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Species list

es:Cuculidae eo:Kukoledoj fr:Cuculidae ja:カッコウ科 (Sibley) ko:뻐꾸기과 nl:Koekoek_(vogel) pt:Cuculidae zh:杜鹃科

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