[6] The North American Classification Committee of the American Ornithological Society, the International Ornithological Committee, and the Clements taxonomy assign it these four subspecies:[6][4][7] During part of the 19th century C. m. bahamensis was treated as a separate species, the Bahama lizard cuckoo, and the other three subspecies were collectively known as the Cuban lizard cuckoo.

They have a whitish throat, pale gray cheeks and breast, and rufous belly and undertail coverts.

Juveniles have narrower tail feathers than adults, with faint white ends, and yellow skin around the eye.

They are smaller, have grayer upperparts, a buff wash on the belly, and a black band near the end of all of the tail feathers.

Juveniles are similar to adults but with a slightly paler throat and breast and no black bars on the tail.

[8] The great lizard cuckoo is an opportunistic feeder; it forages mostly from the forest mid-story to the canopy, running along branches and gliding from tree to tree, but also spends significant time foraging on the ground, where it can run quickly if needed.

No detailed studies of its diet have been made but, like many birds, its observed diet often fluctuates between insectivorous, omnivorous, and carnivorous; it is known to feed on lizards, adult (and larval) insects of many families, nestling birds, frogs, snakes, and sometimes small mammals and seeds or fruits.

The nest is a shallow saucer made of twigs and lined with leaves; it is typically placed in dense foliage of a tree or bush at a low to medium height above the ground.

Identified potential threats include road construction, agricultural development, fires, feral cats and rats, and sea level rise due to climate change.