Feature Article June 19, 2002
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CuckoosThere is a saying which I believe has its origins in England: The cuckoo comes in May, sings it song in June, and in July it flies away. Whether or not that applies here is in question, though the first report I have for a cuckoo is in June.
But there is a big difference between cuckoos in England and here. In England (and also in Australia), the cuckoos are parasitic. That is, they do not build a nest or tend their young. Instead they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, which if they do not recognize the problem, will incubate them, and raise the cuckoo young, at the expense of their own eggs or offspring. The young European Cuckoo has a scooplike depression on its back, and instinctively shoves over the edge of the nest any solid object it contacts. This leaves the young cuckoo hatchling to receive all the care of the host parents - an awesome task for some, as the cuckoo chick often grows much larger than the host adults before it can fend for itself.
Here, while occasionally laying in the nest of the other cuckoo species, the cuckoo builds a fragile nest, usually between 1 to 3 metres from the ground, where it will incubate its eggs. The eggs hatch quickly in about 9 to 13 days, and the young can climb about the branches in about 1 week, and be flying in about 3 weeks. During this period they are fed mostly caterpillars by the parents. In fact, breeding often coincides with outbreaks of tent caterpillars, etc.
Our two cuckoos are the Black-billed, and the Yellow-billed, both long, slender birds, plain brown above, and plain white below, with long, graduated tails, and slightly down-curved bills. The Black-billed, as its name suggests, has a black bill and a red eye-ring. The Yellow-billed has a yellow lower mandible, no eye ring, and in flight shows a cinnamon-rufous area in the flight feathers (which the Black-billed does not have). Both have white tips on the outer tail feathers, more conspicuous in the Yellow-billed.
Listen for the soft, rhythmic cucucu, cucucu, cucucu of the Black-billed Cuckoo. The call of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is a rapid, gutteral ka-ka-ka-ka-kowlp-kowlp, more slower at the end. Welcome these birds - they devour large numbers of insects, and have a particularly voracious appetite for hairy caterpillars. Looks like it may be a good year for the cuckoos, with the number of tent caterpillar webs that are appearing!
Sightings Reports
Bill Kennett, Armstrong Line, near Maberly, had a Black-billed Cuckoo call and fly across his yard June 7.
The nest that Janet Aubin, Maberly, has been watching now has 4 baby Yellow Warblers in it. They hatched on June 10. With 4 hungry mouths to feed, the parents will be busy.
Please share your experiences with nature. Call me at 268-2518.
