Black-billed CuckooBlack-billed Cuckoo -- South Dakota Birds
| Length: 11 - 12 inches | Wingspan: 15 - 17 inches | Seasonality: Summer |
| ID Keys: Brownish upperparts, white underparts, black bill, narrow red eye-ring. | ||
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
The Black-billed Cuckoo is most often found in dense deciduous woodlands and thickets, and is more often heard than seen. Populations often fall and rise in conjunction with caterpillar populations, especially hairy tent caterpillars. When discovered, young of the species will sometimes "freeze" with their neck stretched and bill in an upright position, somewhat similar to how an American Bittern "hides".
Habitat: Primarily found in deciduous forests. This may include forest interiors, woodland edges, riparian areas, marshland edges, and shrubby second-growth forest.
Diet: Heavily dependent upon caterpillars, although they will also feed on other insects as available. Will also occasionally eat small fruits and berries, bird eggs, snails, and small fish.
Nesting: June and July. Has been known to occasionally lay eggs in the nests of Yellow-billed Cuckoos.
Breeding Map: Breeding Bird Survey map
Song: Repeated po po po, also a rolling call beginning very rapidly and slowing towards the end.
Migrations: Summers throughout the Great Plains, the Midwest, the Northeastern U.S., the Appalachians, and southern Canada. Winters in South America.
Similar Species: Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Status: Populations rise and fall with availability of caterpillars for forage, but overall, generally stable throughout its range.
Further Information: 1) Patuxent Bird Identification InfoCenter, Black-billed Cuckoo
2) Cornell University's "All About Birds - Black-billed Cuckoo"
3) eNature.com: Black-billed Cuckoo
Photo Information: May 16th, 2007 - Newton Hills State Park - Terry Sohl
Additional Photos: Click on the image chips or text links below for additional, higher-resolution Black-billed Cuckoo photos.
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| South Dakota Status: Uncommon migrant, and summer breeding resident. |
| Additional Black-billed Cuckoo Photos | ||
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| Black-billed Cuckoo 1 | Black-billed Cuckoo 2 | Black-billed Cuckoo 3 |
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| Black-billed Cuckoo 4 | ||
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Range Map Reference: NatureServe
Click here for other references used to compile this page
Please mail any comments/suggestions/additional links for this page to: Terry L. Sohl
This page was last edited on 02/03/08
