About Neomorphus geoffroyi (Temminck, 1820)
Neomorphus geoffroyi, the rufous-vented ground cuckoo, measures 45 to 51 cm (18 to 20 in) in total length, with its tail making up approximately half of this length, and weighs 300 to 400 g (11 to 14 oz). Adult birds have a heavy decurved bill that is pale grayish green to horn-colored at the base, with a yellow tip. All recognized subspecies share a set of consistent traits: a shaggy, glossy blue-black, erectile crest, bright blue bare skin surrounding the eye, and a rufous vent area. Males and females have similar plumage. The nominate subspecies N. g. geoffroyi has a cinnamon brown forehead, crown, and lower face; bronzy olive green upperparts and wings; and a glossy purple tail. Its chin, throat, and upper breast are light buffy, with a black band spanning the chest, and the rest of the underparts are pale buff. Heavy paler semicircular markings on the head and breast create a scaled appearance. Subspecies N. g. salvini has dark bronze-brown upperparts with a purple sheen that is most prominent on the wings and tail; the upper surface of the tail may also have some green gloss. It has fainter scaling on the face and breast than the nominate subspecies, and its underparts range from pale buff to grayish. N. g. aequatorialis has a brown forehead and crown, bronzy green wings and upperparts, and a wide black breast band, with only faint scaling on the breast. N. g. australis has a dark brown forehead and crown, and a pale grayish throat and central breast with heavily marked sides. N. g. amazonicus has black barring across a light forehead and crown, green gloss on the hindneck, wings, and upperparts, and faint purple gloss on the upper surface of the tail. Its underparts are pale gray to whitish buff, with heavy scaling on the breast. N. g. dulcis has dark glossy blue wings and upperparts, darker underparts than the nominate, and heavy scaling on the breast. The species' subspecies have the following distinct ranges: N. g. salvini occurs from Nicaragua south through Costa Rica and Panama, and continues down the Pacific coast of Colombia. N. g. aequatorialis ranges from southeastern Colombia south to eastern Ecuador, and extends into northern Peru. N. g. australis is found in southeastern Peru and northwestern Bolivia. N. g. amazonicus is restricted to Amazonian Brazil south of the Amazon River, between the Madeira River and Maranhão state. N. g. geoffroyi occurs in Bahia state, eastern Brazil. N. g. dulcis ranges in southeastern Brazil from Espírito Santo south to Rio de Janeiro. The rufous-vented ground cuckoo generally inhabits mature undisturbed evergreen forest. It can also be found in riverside forest and seasonally flooded forest, and occasionally occurs in dry forest, canebrakes, and thickets. In Central America, its elevation range extends from sea level to 1,450 m (4,800 ft). In South America, it occurs from sea level in Brazil up to 1,650 m (5,400 ft) in Bolivia.
