Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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CUCKOOS

Yellow-billed Cuckoo  Coccyzus americanus

WINTER:  NO RECORDS.

SUMMER:  Uncommon to Fairly Common Resident.  Hall (1983) stated this species occurred at lower elevations versus the Black-billed Cuckoo. Records from this area tend to verify this conclusion.

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Uncommon to Fairly Common Migrant from late April to late May.  Early dates, 12 April 1948 (Edeburn et al. 1960); 22 April 2005 (HS); 23 April 2002 (MS), 2004 (JN) and 2006 (MG, DP).

 Fall:  Uncommon to Fairly Common Migrant from mid-September to early October.  Late dates: one collected on 12 November 1951 at Huntington, WV (Edeburn et al. 1960); 10 October 2004 (PT); 08 October 1963 (WA) and 1979 (HS); 07 October 1970 (HS).

REMARKS:

Breeding Bird Survey (Bullard 2003): Cabwaylingo State Forest, Wayne Co., WV (2002): 135 Stops (7 surveys), 64 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 18. Total Birds: 21.

Singing Male Census (Eddy 2003): Cabwaylingo State Forest, Wayne Co., WV (2002): Tick Ridge: dominant canopy: yellow poplar, black cherry, sugar maple (elevation, 350 m to 378 m): +; Twelvepole Creek: dominant canopy: yellow poplar, sugar maple, sycamore (elevation, 244 m at center line): +.

Singing Male Census (Hall 1952): Cabwaylingo State Forest, Wayne Co., WV (1952): Indian Trail: dominant canopy: yellow poplar, am. beech, sugar maple (elevation, 243 m to 259 m): 16 males/100 ha.; Tick Ridge: dominant canopy: 50% mixed oak (elevation, 335 m to 366 m): 16 males/100 ha.; Twelvepole Creek: dominant canopy: sycamore, river birch, black willow (elevation, 222 m at center line): 16 males/100 ha.

Breeding Bird Survey (Koch and Hurley 1972): Beech Fork Lake, Wayne Co., WV (29 May 1969): 50 Stops, 25 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 6. Total Birds: 8.

Breeding Bird Survey (Koch 1974): McClintic WMA, Mason Co., WV (29 May 1971): 50 Stops, 12.25 Mile. Number of Stops Recorded: 1. Total Birds: 1.