Individually, they were previously placed in the genus Saurothera that was later merged into the current Coccyzus, and they are considered a superspecies.

Juveniles have brownish gray upperparts, a whitish throat, and a narrower brown tail with buff tips.

The species inhabits tropical deciduous and evergreen forests, more open woodland, thickets, mountain slopes with bushes, plantations, and gardens.

[5] The Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo usually forages from the middle to upper levels of the forest, though it also hunts near the ground.

Its diet includes lizards, small snakes, and many types of adult and larval insects.

The Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo's principal call is "[r]attling, grating...in descending series".

"[5] The IUCN has assessed the Hispaniolan lizard cuckoo as being of Least Concern, though its population size is not known and is believed to be decreasing.