CUCKOOS 157 



General habits. — Because of its subdued coloration and re- 

 tiring disposition, this bird is not often seen, but its rather 

 loud notes, popularly supposed to indicate approach of rain, 

 are familiar to nearly everyone living near its haunts. It 

 lives in woodland, especially where there is considerable 

 undergrowth ; its movements in the trees are slow and it often 

 remains quiet on one perch for a considerable time, when, even 

 though only partially concealed by foliage, it is exceedingly 

 difficult to see. Its call notes, however, are loud and charac- 

 teristic, resembling the syllables kow, kow, kow, many times 

 repeated, beginning slowly and gradually increasing in speed, 

 then decreasing at the end. Its flight is straightforward, 

 noiseless, and graceful. The cuckoo's nest is shallow and 

 loosely constructed of twigs, placed in a bush or small tree, 

 4 to 10 feet from the ground. 



Food habits. — This is one of the most useful of our insec- 

 tivorous birds. It is particularly fond of caterpillars and de- 

 stroys large numbers of them, including even many hairy and 

 spiny species, which to most birds are not acceptable. Dr. 

 Avery mentions having seen this bird feeding on "army 

 worms" (probably cotton leaf worms) in a cottonfield, and 

 I have frequently observed the same habit in other States. 

 Beetles, bugs, ants, wasps, flies, and grasshoppers also are 

 consumed, and occasionally a little fruit, such as elderberries 

 and mulberries. 



BLACK-BILLED CUCKOO: Coccyzus erythropthalmus 



(Wilson) . 



State records. — The black-billed cuckoo, a northern-breed- 

 ing species, occurs in Alabama only as a migrant and not 

 abundantly. McCormack has taken it only once at Leighton, 

 and Mrs. Samuel has a single specimen in her collection, taken 

 at Guntersville. Holt noted one at Barachias, May 4, 1909, 

 another May 2, 1913, and I took one there, April 22, 1912. 

 Golsan took one in Autauga County, October 16, 1898. A 

 specimen was taken at Scottsboro, April 18, 1914, one was 

 seen at Prattville Junction, May 9, and several on Sipsey Fork, 

 near Melville, May 2 and May 5, 1914. I saw one also at Fair- 



