A 2010 ABC report on bird deaths at communication towers documented more than 550 Yellow-billed Cuckoo deaths at 17 towers. the yellow-billed cuckoo and the greater roadrunner. Yellow-billed Cuckoo The Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) breeds from South Canada to North Mexico and West Indies. We determined that the western yellow-billed cuckoo DPS was warranted for listing, but was precluded by other higher priority listing actions, and we placed the species on our candidate list. Coccyzus is a genus of cuckoos which occur in the Americas.The genus name is from Ancient Greek kokkuzo, which means to call like a common cuckoo. In Europe it is extremely rare. Credit of the picture: Syd Phillips . Credit of the picture: Wikimedia Commons . It is found in winter from Central America to Peru and North Argentina. Abundance. It does share the same northern range as the Black-billed Cuckoo but has a larger southern range. Illinois Status: common migrant and summer resident; a decline in population noted between 1909 and 1957 with … It does share the same northern range as the Black-billed Cuckoo but has a larger southern range. Conservation status. The yellow-billed cuckoo is a diurnal, migratory bird. It is indicated that the riparian habitat needs to be at least 100 meters wide. It is indicated that the riparian habitat needs to be at least 100 meters wide. Get Involved. This pretty bird with its long spotted tail feathers remains unseen most of the time, well hidden in the foliage of the trees. Common folk-names for this bird in the southern United States are Rain Crow and Storm Crow . On October 3, 2013, the Western U.S. As long-distance, nocturnal migrants, Yellow-billed Cuckoos are victims of collisions with tall buildings, cell towers, radio antennas, wind turbines, and other structures. Its scientific name means "cuckoo of America." The Yellow-billed Cuckoo spends its day hunting and eating caterpillars. The yellow-billed cuckoo and the black-billed cuckoo are said to call more often just before it rains; hence, they are commonly called “rain crows”. Show Aliases. In Europe it is extremely rare. The western population of the species (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) breeds along river systems west of the Rocky Mountains, which generally separate this population from its counterpart, the eastern yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus americanus). If you would like to make a donation, please click here. These likely refer to the bird's habit of calling on hot days, often presaging thunderstorms. The western population of the species (Coccyzus americanus occidentalis) breeds along river systems west of the Rocky Mountains, which generally separate this population from its counterpart, the eastern yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus americanus). The species has a slender, long-tailed profile, with a fairly stout and slightly down-curved bill, which is blue-black with yellow Listing Activity: The yellow-billed cuckoo in the western United States was accorded candidate status in July 2001. Present in Illinois: early May-early October. Species: Yellow-billed cuckoo Scientific name: Coccyzus americanus Nicknames: Raincrow Claim to fame: Thanks to cuckoo clocks and the term “cuckoo” which is sometimes used to describe strange or eccentric actions; most of us know there is a bird by this name. The Yellow-billed cuckoo is a riparian obligate species which requires dense cottonwood-willow forested tracts of at least 16.8 hectares including a minimum of 3.0 hectares of closed-canopy broadleaf forest. It is difficult to view yellow-billed cuckoos in the wild due to their generally secretive behavior. These include the lizard cuckoos formerly included in the genus Saurothera. Full details of the discovery of a deceased American visitor on the south coast. We determined that the western yellow-billed cuckoo DPS was warranted for listing, but was precluded by other higher priority listing … The U.S. FWS's Threatened & Endangered Species System track information about listed species in the United States Feathers account for almost half of the yellow-billed cuckoo's body weight. We welcome all and every effort to help us "bring back the birds." Food habits: Yellow-billed cuckoos eat mainly large invertebrates including grasshoppers, caterpillars, cicadas, and other insects.