Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) Torrey Wenger
Iosco Co., MI. 5/20/2007 © Jerry McHale (Click to view a comparison of Atlas I to II)
The Black-billed Cuckoo is a bird of mystery. occurring in 21% more townships. Some but not all of this change may be due to differing It becomes somewhat nocturnal during the levels of effort between the two Atlases: The summer, singing and feeding at night and UP was covered more thoroughly during MBBA remaining relatively inactive during the day. A II. A confounding factor is the similarity of shy and secretive bird, it often “freezes” in the Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos in presence of observers. These behaviors make voice and even appearance (Sanilands 2007a, studying or even finding cuckoos difficult. 2007b, Peterjohn and Rice 1991, Keller 1998). Even more interestingly, this bird preys on While questionable records were verified, most fuzzy caterpillars that other species avoid, cuckoo observations were accepted as occasionally coughing up a pellet of indigestible submitted. Of the two cuckoos in Michigan, the spines and growing a new stomach lining Black-billed is the more northerly species. (Hughes 2001). There are lots of reasons to admire the Black-billed Cuckoo. Breeding Biology
A typical cuckoo nest is well-concealed and Distribution contains up to five (typically only two or three) The Black-billed Cuckoo can be found in the pale blue-green eggs. Both parents incubate, eastern half of the United States, excluding the and the young hatch in 10 to 11 days. The Southeast, and north into Canada with scattered altricial nestlings are extremely robust with populations west to the Pacific and along the strong legs; they are able to cling to a branch Atlantic coast. Cuckoos travel to South and raise themselves up within three hours after America, moving primarily at night. It arrives hatching (Hughes 2001). On day seven, the pin on its breeding grounds late and leaves early feathers open and within 12 hours, the nestling (Hughes 2001). is fully feathered; it may leave the nest that day,
although it will not be able to fly until it is 21 Statewide, the Black-billed Cuckoo was days old (Hughes 2001). reported in 17% fewer townships in the second
Atlas period. The greatest decrease, a Timing of the nesting attempt is dependent on difference of 36%, came in the SLP. However, local prey availability. Nests can contain eggs the cuckoo increased its presence in the UP,
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) Torrey Wenger and young at various stages of development. Black-billed Cuckoo observations as a Adults may divide the out-of-nest offspring percentage of all bird observations remained between them (Hughes 2001). Second nest fairly stable, ranging from 0.17 to 0.30 and attempts have not been verified (Hughes 2001). averaging 0.27. A study in southwestern Michigan over the same period shows much Unlike the Common Cuckoo of Europe, Black- more fluctuation, ranging from 0.02 to 0.21 and billed Cuckoos are not obligate nest parasites. averaging 0.09. During 1997, this same study Nest parasitism is apparently rare. Females may reported Black-billed Cuckoos as 0.68% of all lay eggs in the nests of other Black-billed birds observed but later values never reached Cuckoos during years of high food abundance half that (Miller et al. 2008, 2009), providing an but rarely lay eggs in the nests of other birds. indication of the cuckoo’s possible decline in The most common interspecific host is the southern Michigan. Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Hughes 2001). Yellow- billed Cuckoos also occasionally lay eggs in Conservation Needs Black-billed Cuckoo nests. More research on nearly every aspect of the cuckoo’s life history is needed. Little is known Abundance and Population Trends of the species’ breeding behavior and (Click to view trends from the BBS) territoriality, nest parasitism, fidelity to nesting Black-billed Cuckoo populations have declined territory, dispersal from natal territory, nationwide and within the Great Lakes region; migratory behavior, or survivorship. The trend data for Michigan are negative but not juvenile period, from the chick leaving the nest significant (Sauer et al. 2008). This decline was at seven days until its first flight at 21 days, is readily apparent in MBBA data. Compared to virtually unknown (Hughes 2001). the first Atlas in the 1980s, total observations were down 16% and confirmed nesting Partners in Flight (2007) lists the Black-billed observations were down 64%. While the Cuckoo as a species of Regional Concern and MBBA II protocol placed more emphasis on Regional Stewardship requiring management documenting all the species present in the attention in the Prairie Hardwood Transition survey area than on finding an active nest region (SLP) and planning and responsibility (a (Kalamazoo Nature Center 2004), this does not lower category) in the Boreal Hardwood explain the decline: Confirmed nesting Transition region (NLP and UP). The different observations for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, management recommendations correspond to which has similar nesting habits, were down the changes documented by MBBA II. only 14%. However, while the Black-billed Cuckoo declined in the Lower Peninsula, it Several issues are tied into dietary needs. As an increased in the UP. insectivore, the Black-billed Cuckoo is vulnerable to sublethal and sometimes lethal Cuckoos are adapted to exploit insect outbreaks, effects of pesticides (Hughes 2001). When including those of periodic cicadas (Koenig and caterpillar outbreaks are controlled chemically, Liebhold 2005) and hairy caterpillars this decreases the food available to cuckoos; the unpalatable to other birds (Hughes 2001). importance of outbreak-induced population Additionally, cuckoo numbers are strongly increases for long-term population growth is influenced by local prey abundance (Hughes unknown. In addition, the migratory cues for 2001, Gale et al. 2001). An area with a the cuckoo are not known but, as in other caterpillar outbreak may support dozens of Neotropical migrants, are likely to include day cuckoos one year and have only a single bird the length (Berthold and Terrill 1991). As insect next. During the Atlas period, the number of
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) Torrey Wenger emergence is cued by temperature, warming trends mean that cuckoo arrival may no longer be timed to insect emergence, thus creating a decrease in available prey.
Studying such a reclusive species is challenging but necessary. Without research, questions about habitat requirements for nesting, foraging, stopover, and wintering cannot be answered. The amount of edge habitat required by cuckoos varies with changes in forest management, farming techniques, and rates of development. The practices that best maintain populations of this beneficial caterpillar-consuming species are currently unknown. The Black-billed Cuckoo is an enigmatic species that will benefit from careful study.
© 2010 Kalamazoo Nature Center Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) Torrey Wenger
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