Species · GBIF taxon 2496286
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmusAlso known as Raincrow, Rain Crow
Black-billed cuckoos are stealthy, slender forest birds famous for their voracious appetite for spiny and hairy caterpillars, which most other birds avoid. They slip silently through dense deciduous undergrowth, remaining motionless for long periods before striking their prey. Unlike their European relatives, these birds usually build their own nests, though they occasionally lay eggs in the nests of other birds when food is exceptionally abundant.
MigratoryInsectivorousCryptic
Licensed referenceWolfgang Wander (colors adjusted by Skiessi) / CC BY-SA 2.5 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Tent Caterpillars
- Fall Webworms
- Cicadas
Predators
- Hawks
- Owls
- Feral Cats
ThreatsHabitat loss, pesticide application reducing food sources, and collisions with windows during migration
HabitatsDeciduous forests, damp thickets, forest edges, and overgrown orchards
Life spanTypically 4 to 5 years in the wild
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyCuculidae
- SpeciesCoccyzus erythropthalmus
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Listen for calls: Listen for a fast, rhythmic cu-cu-cu-cu song, often repeated in groups of three or four notes.
- Scan dense cover: Look closely inside thickets and shrubby forest edges where they sit motionless while hunting.
- Watch caterpillar outbreaks: Search areas experiencing tent caterpillar infestations, which draw these birds in large numbers.
Close Relative No machine-readable author provided. Factumquintus assumed (based on copyright claims). / CC BY-SA 3.0 · cc-by-sa
Close Relative 
Distant Relative Ron Knight from Seaford, East Sussex, United Kingdom / CC BY 2.0 · cc-by
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