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ExploreBirds

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Coccyzus americanus

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a beautiful bird known for its bright yellow bill and soft, cooing sounds. It loves to hide in trees and is often seen flitting about in search of tasty insects.

Habitat: Forests

Appearance

The Yellow-billed Cuckoo has a slender, elegant body with a long tail. It features a bright yellow lower mandible, dark brown upperparts, and clean white underparts. Distinctive rufous patches flash on its wings during flight, and its long tail shows bold white spots from below.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumChordataClassAvesOrderCuculiformesFamilyCuculidaeGenusCoccyzus
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Photo: RhododendritesCC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsView original ↗
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Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Category

Birds

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

19

Interesting facts

During outbreaks of cicadas or caterpillars, cuckoos can gorge themselves, eating hundreds in a single day!

If food is scarce, a female cuckoo will lay fewer eggs, making sure each chick has enough to eat!

Their unusual call is often heard just before a summer rain, earning them the nickname "Rain Crow"!

These birds are incredible long-distance flyers, migrating thousands of miles from North America to South America!

Special abilities

Ability

Caterpillar Chomper

Yellow-billed Cuckoos can eat many hairy caterpillars because they shed their stomach lining to remove irritating spines.

Ability

Stealthy Hunter

Yellow-billed Cuckoos have soft feathers that allow them to fly almost silently, helping them ambush insect prey.

Ability

Rapid Nesting

Yellow-billed Cuckoos can raise their young from egg to flight in a remarkably short 17 days, especially when food is abundant.

Measurements & details

Length
28-32 cm
Wingspan
40-48 cm
Weight
0.05-0.07 kg
Lifespan
3-7 years
Speed
60 km/h
Clutch Size
2-5
Incubation
9-11 days
Migration Distance
6000 km

Diet & Feeding

These birds are insect-eating champions, especially loving caterpillars!

Primary Foods

  • Caterpillars
  • Cicadas
  • Grasshoppers
  • Beetles
  • Moths

Foraging Method

  • Foraging

Ecological connections

Hunts

Eastern Tent Caterpillar

Malacosoma americanum

devours large numbers of these fuzzy pests.

Hunts

Periodical Cicada

Magicicada septendecim

gorges during their infrequent, noisy outbreaks.

Eaten by

Cooper's Hawk

Accipiter cooperii

a swift avian predator that may catch cuckoos.

Parasitizes

American Robin

Turdus migratorius

sometimes lays eggs in their nests for others to raise.

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Enjoy watching birds from a distance, and be quiet so you don't scare them away!

Frequently Asked Questions

How to identify Yellow-billed Cuckoo?

Compare the silhouette, bill shape, tail length, wing bars and markings around the eyes. The same small brown bird at your feeder can look quite different in breeding plumage, winter plumage or its first year. Bird Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

How long is Yellow-billed Cuckoo?

28-32 cm

What is Yellow-billed Cuckoo's wingspan?

40-48 cm

How much does Yellow-billed Cuckoo weigh?

0.05-0.07 kg

How long does Yellow-billed Cuckoo live?

3-7 years

How fast can Yellow-billed Cuckoo move?

60 km/h

What does Yellow-billed Cuckoo eat?

These birds are insect-eating champions, especially loving caterpillars!

Where is Yellow-billed Cuckoo usually found?

Forests

Snap Map

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Recent Snaps

Where to spot

Centennial Arboretum place preview
Botanical Garden41 sightings50 species

Pennsylvania, US

Centennial Arboretum

Arboretum and Bird Watching

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Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens place preview
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Texas, US

Chihuahuan Desert Nature Center and Botanical Gardens

Bird Watching and Botanical Garden

You might spot Texas Hedgehog Cactus, Ornate Tree Lizard, and Cactus Wren.

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Grist Mill Park place preview
Park50 sightings50 species

Virginia, US

Grist Mill Park

"park", "hiking", "walking", "dog Friendly", "playground", "sports", "wildlife Viewing", "concerts", "family Friendly", "nature Trails"

You might spot American Bullfrog, Snapping Turtle, and Great Blue Heron.

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Harkness Memorial State Park place preview
Botanical Garden45 sightings50 species

Connecticut, US

Harkness Memorial State Park

Coastal, Historic Mansion, Formal Gardens, Birdwatching, Picnicking, Walking Trails, Family Friendly, Accessible, Wildlife Viewing, Gilded Age

You might spot Brant, American Herring Gull, and Double-Crested Cormorant.

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Hempstead Historic District place preview
Historic District44 sightings50 species

Connecticut, US

Hempstead Historic District

19th Century and Abolitionist History

You might spot Common Mugwort, Canada Goose, and American Herring Gull.

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Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area place preview
State Park42 sightings50 species

Pennsylvania, US

Joseph E. Ibberson Conservation Area

Appalachian Trail and Bird Watching

You might spot Downy Rattlesnake Plantain and Striped Wintergreen.

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