How do nonparasitic cuckoos build nests and raise their young?

Most nonparasitic cuckoos form stable pair bonds and defend territories where they build their own nests and raise their young. Typically, these birds construct loose platforms of twigs placed in low vegetation or, less frequently, on the ground. An exception is the coucal, which builds a sizable, domed nest made of grass and twigs, often featuring a side entrance and located on or near the ground.12

In most nonparasitic species, both parents share the responsibilities of incubation and feeding the young. However, the guira and anis exhibit unique social behaviors; they live in flocks of 5 to 20 individuals that defend a shared territory. Within these flocks, multiple birds may cooperate to build a single nest, where two or more females may lay eggs and share incubation duties, with many members of the flock participating in feeding the offspring.21