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Black-billed Cuckoo Identification

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The Four Keys to ID

  • Size & Shape

    Cuckoos are slender, dove-sized birds with a longer slightly curved bill and a very long tail. When perched it often has a hunchbacked posture.

    Relative Size

    Larger than a Baltimore Oriole, smaller than an American Crow.

    Relative Sizebetween robin and crowbetween robin and crow

    Measurements
    • Both Sexes
      • Length: 11.0-12.2 in (28-31 cm)
      • Weight: 1.4-2.3 oz (40-65 g)
      • Wingspan: 13.4-15.8 in (34-40 cm)

    Shape of the Black-billed Cuckoo© Ronnie d'Entremont / Macaulay Library