CUCULIDAE 



387. Coccyzus americanus 

 YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO. 12 inches 



Male and Female alike. Above olive-brown, color brightest 

 on wings ; upper half of bill black, lower half yellow. Below white ; 

 tail long, rounded ; outer feathers black, with big 

 white spots like thumb marks. 



A slender, shy bird. These birds are closely re- 

 lated to the European cuckoo, which like our cow- 

 bird lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. Ar- 

 rives in Massachusetts about the middle of May. 

 Note. Somewhat resembling the syllables cue, cue, 

 cue, cue, keow, keoW) keow, also single coos. 

 Nest. In low shrubbery, loosely made. 

 Breeds. In southern New England. 



