Great Lizard-Cuckoo Coccyzus merlini Scientific name definitions

Great Lizard-Cuckoo is a very large cuckoo found on three major islands in the Bahamas and virtually throughout the Cuban archipelago, in various types of forest and scrub in both countries, although it is never super-abundant. The species is olive-brown above with red facial skin around the eye, a rather long bill, white breast, rufous belly, and a boldly barred underside to the very long, sturdy tail. Prior to recent genetic-lead revisions to the taxonomy of the Cuculidae, this species was placed in the West Indian endemic genus Saurothera, which means ‘lizard hunter:’ in fact, Great Lizard-Cuckoo has a rather catholic diet, which includes not only lizards, but also frogs, snakes, young birds, and insects.