Can fly, would rather sprint!
ALTHOUGH the European cuckoo is the best-known member of its family, there is great variety among the 166 species of cuckoos. Only 55 of the species are brood parasites; most are monogamous and raise their own young. Four species live in groups and are co-operative breeders. Many are large-beaked, long-tailed birds: these include the guira cuckoo, the coucals, the malkohas and the ground-cuckoos.
These physically impressive birds, especially the coucals (Centropus), are the cuckoos that are most represented in aviculture. Many other cuckoo species feed on caterpillars, often hairy ones, and this may be a factor in why they are a rarity in aviculture.
The two species of roadrunners are members of the group of species known as American ground cuckoos. The lesser roadrunner () occurs from in Mexico to Nicaragua. The better-known species,), which is found from San Francisco to Mexico City. Its larger range overlaps that of its smaller relative in Mexico. The lesser species has more fawn-shaded plumage and a patch of blue skin behind the eye. The larger bird’s skin patch is white and orange in the male and blue and orange in the smaller female. These patches are highlighted depending on mood.
