
This fairly large, lanky woodland bird has white underparts, plain brown upperparts, and a long decurved bill with a mostly yellow lower mandible. The underside of its long tail is dark gray to black with several pairs of oval-shaped white spots. The face features a blackish mask through the eye and yellow eye ring. Folded wings show rufous primaries. In flight, note broad rufous flight feathers and long tail with white spots along edges. Sexes are similar. Black-billed Cuckoo has dark bill, small white spots in tail, and lacks rufous in wings. Mangrove Cuckoo of Southern Florida also lacks rufous in wings and has buffy underparts.
Length: 30 (cm) Wingspan: 46 (cm)
Voice:
Loud, odd-sounding series of evenly spaced hard "cuk, cuk, cuk" notes followed by shorter series of slurred double noted "cu-coo cu-coo" phrases. Also various cooing and single knocking sounds.
Habitat:
Riparian areas, deciduous woodlands, dense thickets.
Behavior:
Clambers among vegetation or sits quite still; habitually calls on hot days. Looks somewhat floppy in flight. Nest is a platform of twigs, lined with finer materials, placed on horizontal limb. Occasionally lays eggs in other birds' nests, especially Black-billed Cuckoo.
Feeding:
Gleans foliage for insects, especially tent caterpillars, and other small prey.
Field Notes
Expanded Life History
Feed Ecology And Diet | Contribute Content |
Nesting Habits | Contribute Content |
Migration Status |
My first sighting of the year as of 2012 was June 9. I live in the eastern panhandle of west virginia by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:08 pm |
Conservation Status |
Least Concern by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:14 pm |
Local Sites to Spot | Contribute Content |
Abundance Status |
uncommon to common by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:13 pm |
Adult Male Description |
Both Male and Female look the same throughout the entire year by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:13 pm |
Adult Female Description | Contribute Content |
ITIS Taxonomic Number | Contribute Content |
Sonogram | Contribute Content |
Courtship | Contribute Content |
Reproductive Characteristics | Contribute Content |
Relationship to Humans | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Size & Shape | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Color & Pattern | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Habitat | Contribute Content |
ID Tips - Behavior |
often heard, uncommonly seen by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:06 pm |
ID Tips - Wingspan |
similar to mourning dove by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:05 pm |
ID Tips - Weight |
mourning dove size by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:04 pm |
Breeding | Contribute Content |
Cool Facts | Contribute Content |
Local Knowledge |
sensitive to call being played back by Rhett Quigley on July 13, 2012 at 10:10 pm |
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Sightings
Date | Submitted By | Count |
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08/03/13 | Carol Cwiklinski, VA | # |
06/01/13 | Carol Cwiklinski, VA | # |
05/07/12 | Caleb Arrison, PA | 1 |
02/27/11 | Shawneen Finnegan, OR | # |
Recent Activity
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