blackbilled cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMATION STATUS: Confirmed.

 

IDENTIFICATION:

• Length: 11 inches

• Sexes similar

• Slender, long-tailed bird

• Black bill

Adult:

• Red orbital ring

• Cold brown head, nape, back, upperwings, and uppertail

• White chin, foreneck, breast and belly

• Tail is gray below with very narrow white tips to tail feathers

Juvenile:

• Yellow orbital ring

• Brown head, nape, back, upperwings and uppertail, with pale tips to           wing coverts

• White chin, foreneck, breast and belly suffused with pale buff

• Tail is gray below with very narrow buff tips to tail feathers

Similar species:

Adult yellow-billed cuckoo has yellow-based bill and cinnamon primaries
in all plumages, and larger white tail spots below. Juvenile yellow-billed
cuckoos can be black-billed and can have small tail spots and are best
identified by primary pattern. Mangrove cuckoo has yellow-based bill,
black mask, buff breast and larger white tail spots below.

 

LIFE HISTORY

Migration Status: Neotropical migrant
Breeding Habitat: Woodland
Nest Location: Ground-low nesting
Nest Type: Open-cup
Clutch Size: 2-4
Length of Incubation: 10-13 days
Days to Fledge: 7-9
Number of Broods: ?
Diet: Exclusively insects

 

SKY MEADOWS DISTRIBUTION/SEASONAL OCCURRENCE

 

Relative abundance and seasonal occurrence are indicated in red below.

 

Relative abundance
     C - Common: Likely to be present in good numbers in appropriate habitat and season.
     U - Uncommon: May be present in appropriate habitat and season, often in low
            numbers.
     O - Occassional: Found in appropriate habitat perhaps only a few times per season,
            sometimes low numbers.
     R - Rare: May not be recorded every year.
     Acc - Accidental: Recorded once or twice, may not be expected again for a long time.

 

Seasonal Occurrence
      Sp - Spring: March, April, May R
      Su - Summer: June, July, August R
      Fall: September, October, November R

      Winter: December, January, February

 

 

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