The Sumatran ground-cuckoo is a large forest cuckoo with a long tail and sturdy green legs and bill. It lives on the ground and is thought to feed on prey found on the forest floor.
A long, full tail follows its large body, and its sturdy bill and legs are green. The crown is black, shading to green on the hindcrown. Bare skin around the eye shows green, lilac, and blue.
It is ground-dwelling and occurs in primary or lightly disturbed forest with a dense understory. It is thought to feed on invertebrates, reptiles, and small mammals on the forest floor, based on prey eaten by a bird in a semi-wild enclosure.
An extinction-risk assessment has not been added yet.