puerto rican lizard-cuckoo Coccyzus vieilloti

An impressive long-tailed bird of wooded habitats including shade coffee plantations. Usually found in dense vegetation though sometimes found sunning in the open at first light with its tail spread. Note this species long straight narrow bill, brilliant red eyering, gray chest, and chestnut belly. The Mangrove Cuckoo is passingly similar but has a much shorter bill, a black mask, and lacks the red eyering visible on Puerto Rican Lizard-Cuckoo. Secretive, but not shy, this species is often first detected by its voice. Song is a long, rapid, ratcheting “keh-keh-keh…” series that often accelerates and/or decelerates throughout. Other calls include a harsh, “craaa.”