ORDER XII. COCCYGES— Cuckoos, Kingfishers, etc. 



A. Toes, two in front, two behind ; bill curved downwards Cuculidae. 



A. Toes, three in front, one behind; bill straight Alcedinidae. 



Family CUCULID-ffi— Cuckoos 



1. Bill wholly blackish; tail narrowly white-tipped; wings slightly cinnamon 



Black-billed Cuckoo. 



1. Bill mostly yellow below; tail broadly white-tipped; wings extensively 



cinnamon (2) 



2. Smaller, with smaller bill (wing.under 5$, tail under 6, culmen under 



1 inch) Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



2. Larger, with larger bill (wing over 5f , tail over 6, culmen 1 inch 

 or more) California Cuckoo. 



387. *Coccyzus americanus (Linnaeus) — Yellow-billed Cuckoo. 



Eastern half of state, a common summer resident and breeder, 

 arriving the second week in May, breeding in June or early July, de- 

 parting early in September. Omaha, Lincoln, Beatrice, West Point, 

 Neligh, Niobrara valley, Holt county, Cherry county, Bloomington. 



388. *Coccyzus erythrophthalmus (Wilson) — Black-billed Cuckoo. 



Entire state, but rather uncommon; dates practically as preceding; 

 breeding wherever present. Omaha, Lincoln, Beatrice, West Point, 

 Neligh, Niobrara valley, Long Pine, North Platte, Sioux county. 



EXTRALIMITAL: 387a. C. e. occidentalis Ridgway, the California 

 Cuckoo, a western race of the Yellow-billed, is the form occurring 

 throughout Colorado to within a few miles of the eastern boundary 

 of the state, and any yellow-billed cuckoo found in western Nebraska 

 is very apt to be occidentalis. 



Family ALCEDINID^) — Kingfishers 



A large, blue backed, crested kingfisher, white below and with a 

 blue band across the breast. . . . , - . . . .Belted Kingfisher. 



390. *Ceryle alcyon (Linnaeus) — Belted Kingfisher. 



Common over the entire state; breeding in sand and clay banks. 

 Arrives first week in April, breeds early in June, lingers until late fall, 

 and a few remain the entire winter where there is open water. 



ORDER XIII. PICI — Woodpeckers, Wrynecks, etc. 



Family PICID^ — Woodpeckers 



1. Back entirely dark, without white marks, but rump sometimes white . . (2) 



1. Back conspicuously marked with white or yellowish (7) 



2. Back shining blackish (3) — brownish with black bars; under parts 



spotted (6) 



3. Head crested, the crest bright scarlet, or partly so; under parts black; 



size of crow Northern Pileated Woodpecker. 



