Squirrel Cuckoo

Another resident of Kabalebo: the Squirrel Cuckoo.

Unlike most residents living in Kabalebo, the Squirrel Cuckoo (Piaya cayana) is one quiet bird. One that often does not like to make any sound and only likes to reveal itself for a couple of minutes. 

This Squirrel Cuckoo was spotted near the lodge, seen hopping between the branches. Probably looking for something tasty meal to eat: Cicadas, wasps, caterpillars, spiders or small lizards are their favorite on the menu list. 
In these pictures you can clearly see its distinctive red eyes and red eye rings. With a length of 43 cm, it is definitely not a bird you can easily overlook. Yellow bill and a long tail broadly tipped white is also another distinctive remark of this bird.

I have spotted Squirrel Cuckoo's on different locations in Kabalebo: near the lodge, airstrip edge and even alongside the Kabalebo river. For so far I have spotted them alone and barely in open areas. They are usually well hidden between the dense vegetation or high up in a tree. They thank their name 'Squirrel Cuckoo' due to the fact that they are agile, silent and just like Squirrels like to hop and leap through the dense vegetation. Only when necessary they will fly (short distances).

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