Striped Cuckoo (Tapera naevia)

This is a Striped Cuckoo (Tapera naevia), often heard, seldom seen. It has a very distinctive, loud two-note call that is easily identified. The Striped Cuckoo is a medium-sized, long-tailed cuckoo. This species has a wide distribution, with a range that extends from southern Mexico south to northern Argentina, and occurs in open habitat. Even so, Striped Cuckoos are heard far more often than they are seen: the ventriloquial song is a frequent sound in pastures and shrubby second growth, but the songster often is difficult to locate.