North American field guide
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Also known as:Rain Crow, Storm Crow
Identification
Field notes
28-33 (11-13") Fairly common and widespread. Woodlands, moist thickets, farms, orchards.
Downcurved bill - black above, yellow below; slim body is grayish-brown above white below; rufous in primaries flash in flight; long tail has large oval white spots on dark underside.
Eats mostly hairy caterpillars. Quite shy. Perches near tree trunks. Heard more than seen.
Song: hollow wooden rapid rattling "ka-ka-ka kow-kow-kowp".
Details in the field
Photo gallery
Watch and learn
Videos
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Credit: Wild Bird and Nature Videos by McElroy ProductionsWhere it lives
Distribution maps
Source legend · original intervals
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Unshaded in source · does not imply absence
Generic and winter maps may use different intervals.
Bird Advisor Identification rules 1 variant · 1 rule
These are the observation paths the Bird Advisor can use to identify this species. Each rule is an alternative match.
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
1 ruleRule 1 18 criteria · confidence 3
- Did the WINGS have STRIPES or PATCHES ?
- No · Unknown
- What SIZE was the TAIL ?
- Long · Very Long · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the TAIL ?
- Square or slightly notched at the end · Rounded at the end · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was on the BACK ?
- Uniform · Unknown
- What colour was the BACK ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What colour was the BELLY ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour PATTERN if any was shown on the BREAST ?
- Uniform color · Unknown
- What colour was the BREAST ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the THROAT ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Unknown
- What colour was the BILL ?
- White, or pale (grayish-white) · Yellow · Olive (yellowish-green) · Blue · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What SHAPE was the BILL ?
- Straight and thick · Downcurved · Unknown
- What LENGTH was the BILL ?
- Short · Medium · Long · Unknown
- What FACIAL or HEAD features were noted if any ?
- Light area over, below, behind or around the eye · NONE of the above or a PLAIN unmarked FACE · Unknown
- What colour was the TOP of HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- What was the predominant colour of the HEAD ?
- Brown, or chestnut (reddish-brown) · Gray, or blue-gray · Black, purple, or dark · Unknown
- How BIG was the bird ?
- Robin-sized · Pigeon-sized
- What TYPE of bird was seen ?
- Songbird (ground or perching bird)
- WHEN was the bird seen ?
- Spring · Summer · Fall