Yellow-billed Cuckoo Similar Species Comparison
Main SpeciesYellow-billed Cuckoo
Adult
Long, slim bird with a long tail. Brownish above with rusty patches in the wing. From below, note large white spots on a black tail.
© Sue Barth / Macaulay LibraryNew York, May 25, 2018Adult
Large, slim birds with a long tail, a long yellow bill, and a hunchbacked appearance. From below, note large white spots on a black tail.
© Benjamin Murphy / Macaulay LibraryIllinois, June 08, 2013Adult
Often forages on tent caterpillars.
© Larry Arbanas / Macaulay LibraryTexasNot all videos have sound
Adult/immature
Long-tailed bird with a curved yellow bill and rusty wing panels.
© Leo McKillop / Macaulay LibraryNew Hampshire, October 23, 2018Adult/immature
Long and long-tailed with large white spots on the underside of the tail.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, May 26, 2018Habitat
Found mainly among the canopies of deciduous trees; look for them in woodland patches with gaps and clearings.
© Luke Thompson / Macaulay LibraryTennessee, May 28, 2017Similar SpeciesBlack-billed Cuckoo
Adult
Black-billed Cuckoos have thin white strips on the underside of the tail while Yellow-billed Cuckoos have large white circles on the tail. Also note bill color differences.
© Christopher Sloan / Macaulay LibraryTennessee, May 13, 2017Similar SpeciesMangrove Cuckoo
Adult
Mangrove Cuckoos have peachy washed underparts while Yellow-billed Cuckoos have entirely white underparts.
© Jim de Waal Malefyt / Macaulay LibraryFlorida, April 21, 2016Similar SpeciesMourning Dove
Adult
Mourning Doves are plumper, with smaller heads and less lanky proportions than cuckoos.
© Ryan Schain / Macaulay LibraryMassachusetts, April 08, 2014Rotate Your Device to Better Compare
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Species in This Family
Cuckoos(Order: Cuculiformes, Family: Cuculidae)
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