Rare term for the lesser cuckoo (Cuculus poliocephalus). In modern Japanese, ホトトギス is far more common.
See also: ホトトギス
綱鳥 is an old name for the lesser cuckoo.
The derivation is uncertain. The kanji 綱 (rope) and 鳥 (bird) may be ateji, but the exact origin is unclear.