Alabama, ipi8. 83 



YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO 



Why art thou always welcome, lonely bird ? 



— The heart grows young again when I am heard ; 



Nor in my double note the magic lies, 



But in the fields, the woods, the streams, and skies. 



T ENGTH, about 12 inches. The yellow lower part of the bill 

 ■^-^ distinguishes this bird from its near relative, the black-billed 

 cuckoo. Range: Breeds generally in the United States and south- 

 ern Canada; winters in South America. Habits and economic 

 status: This bird lives on the edges of woodland, in groves, 

 orchards, parks, and even in shaded village streets. It is sometimes 

 known as rain crow, because its very characteristic notes are sup- 

 posed to foretell rain. The cuckoo has sly furtive ways as it moves 

 among the bushes or flits from tree to tree, and is much more often 

 seen than heard. Unlike its European relative, it does not lay its 

 eggs in other birds' nests, but builds a nest of its own. This is, 

 however, a rather crude and shabby affair — hardly more than a plat- 

 form of twigs sufficient to hold the greenish eggs. The cuckoo is 

 extremely useful because of its insectivorous habits, especially as it 

 shows a marked preference for the hairy caterpillars, which few 

 birds eat. One stomach that was examined contained 250 American 

 tent caterpillars; another, 217 fall webworms. In places where 

 tent caterpillars are abundant they seem to constitute a large portion 

 of the food of this and the black-billed cuckoo. — Biological Survey 

 Bulletin. 



