THE CUCKOOS 



23 



those of the black-billed species being smaller and darker. 



The parasitic habit of the Old World cuckoos, how- 

 ever, is developed in the New World in a totally unre- 

 lated family, the Icteridae or blackbirds. In this group, 

 the majority of species are expert 

 nest builders and show all the con- 

 stancy and maternal instinct of nor- 

 mal birds, but one rather large di- 

 vision, the Genus of cowbirds (Molo- 

 thrus), has departed so far that, 

 with one exception, the habits of its 

 members are similar to those of the 

 European cuckoo. There is this dif- 

 ference, however, that the eggs are 

 laid directly into the nest of the smal- 

 ler bird. 



The American black-billed and yel- 

 low-billed cuckoos are very similar 

 in general appearance, being long 

 slender birds dark brown above and 

 pure white beneath. The long tail 

 feathers bear white spots at the tip, 

 those of the yellow-billed species be- 

 ing the more conspicuous. These 

 spots and the yellow lower mandible, 

 are the most distinctive marks of dif- 

 ference. 



Cuckoos frequent open wood lands 

 or the borders of woods and some- 

 times come into 

 orchards and 

 gardens where 

 they are of in- 

 estimable value 

 because of their 

 fondness for 

 tent caterpillars 

 and other de- 

 structive hairy 

 larvae which, 

 when full 

 grown, are 

 shunned by 

 most other 

 birds. They are 

 usually shy and 

 retiring and are 

 v ery easily 

 overlooked be- 

 cause of their 

 habit of remain- 

 i n g absolutely 

 quiet when at 

 all alarmed. In 

 flying from tree to tree, they have a graceful sweeping 

 flight but they seldom go long distances through the open. 

 In keeping with their secretive habits, their migrations, 

 which carry them to South America, are performed en- 



MURAL DECORATIONS 



The lining of the mouth of young cuckoos is bright red with curious white 

 excrescences, the exact function of which is not known. As the birds get 

 older these are lost and the red color changes to a velvety black. 



THE AMERICAN PARASITE 



The American cuckoos are not parasitic like their European cousins but 

 the cowbirds are, laying their eggs in the nests of smaller species. The 

 male cowbird is black with a brown head, the female grayish black. 



tirely at night. This is a striking characteristic. 



The notes of the two species are so similar that one 



cannot always distinguish between them. The song of 



the yellow-billed species has been represented by Dr. 



Chapman a s : 

 tut-tut, tut-tut, 

 tut-tut, cl-uck- 

 cl-uck, cl-uck-cl- 

 uck, cl-uck-cl- 

 uck, cow. cow, 

 cow, cow, cow, 

 cow, cow, cow. 

 The song of the 

 black-billed spe- 

 c i e s is some- 

 what softer and 

 the cow - cow 

 notes are usual- 

 ly not run to- 

 gether. The last 

 part of the song 

 is very similar 

 to that of the 

 mourning dove 

 and indeed the 

 bird is dove- 

 like in many 

 ways. A cur- 

 i o u s supersti- 

 t i o n declares 

 that their songs predict rain and this 

 has given the name of "rain crows" 

 to them in many parts of the country. 

 The anis, previously mentioned as 

 having a communal habit, are among 

 the most familiar sights of the West 

 Indies and the open land and clear- 

 ings of tropical America where they 

 are known as "Savanna blackbirds" 

 or "tickbirds." They are typically of 

 the pastures where they sun themselves 

 with wings half spread on the 'tops 

 of bushes, or follow the cattle, catch- 

 ing the insects which they disturb in 

 the grass or pecking the ticks from 

 their backs. There are three species 

 of anis, all of them uniformly 

 black, with some metallic reflections, 

 and with large compressed bills which 

 give them a curious parrotlike pro- 

 file. In other ways, however, they 

 are far from parrotlike. They are 

 weak fliers and their long tails are 

 composed of but eight feathers, the 

 fewest number of any birds. 

 When the nesting season arrives, each company builds 

 a nest, usually in the top of a small tree. It is a bulky 

 affair, about the size of a crow's nest, made of sticks 

 and green leaves. In it the various females lay their 



