Birds and Birding's Guide to:

Watching THE CUCKOO-LIKE BIRDS

THE CUCKOOS

Lizard Cuckoos

Of the New World representatives of this group, mention may be made of West Indian Lizard Cuckoos or Rain-birds, especially of the genus Saurothera, of which there are half a dozen forms, characterized among other things by a bare vermilion patch around the eye, which is separated from the bill by a band of feathers, and by the white-tipped tail-feathers.

They are large birds, the so-called Lizard-catcher (S. dominicensis) of San Domingo reaching a length of seventeen inches, and others are still larger. In this species the plumage is ashy brown above, ashy white on the lower throat and chest, and rufous-buff on the upper throat and remaining under parts; the wing-quills are chestnut.

Of its habits Mr. Cory says: “It waits quietly, standing perfectly motionless until a lizard comes within its reach and then with surprising quickness darts upon and kills it. I have seen lizards four or five inches long killed in this way. It has a long, loud call consisting of a series of quickly repeated cries, somewhat resembling that of our Golden-winged Woodpecker."

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