bird · GBIF taxon 2496287
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanusAlso known as Rain Crow, Storm Crow
Yellow-billed Cuckoos are slender, long-tailed forest birds known for their stealthy behavior, often sitting motionless in dense foliage while searching for large caterpillars. They emit a distinctive, guttural, hollow-sounding knocking call that carries far through the woods, earning them a reputation as weather prophets. During breeding season, they occasionally lay eggs in the nests of other birds, though they primarily raise their own young in flimsy twig platforms.
MigratoryInsectivorousSecretive
- diet
- Large insects, especially hairy caterpillars, cicadas, katydids, and occasional small lizards or wild berries.
- family
- Cuculidae
- threats
- Habitat loss (especially riparian woodlands in the West), pesticide use reducing food supply, and collisions with glass during migration.
- life Span
- 4 to 5 years
LC
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- Listen for calls: Locate these secretive birds by listening for their distinctive, hollow, knocking calls on humid summer days.
- Scan caterpillar outbreaks: Search dense deciduous foliage, especially near tent caterpillar webs, where they love to forage.
- Watch quietly: Avoid sudden movements, as they rely on staying perfectly still to blend into the canopy.