McLean Co.: Black-billed Cuckoo

[Capparella, Angelo]

I picked up some window kill birds from a local resident in a wooded
area of Bloomington. One is a Black-billed Cuckoo adult (based on eye
ring color). Of course, this is the only one where he forgot to write
the date down (a lesson to everyone), but he later bracketed it as
between July 6-8. Bohlen lists birds from that date as early fall
migrants.

Angelo Capparella

[Matthew Winks]

Angelo,

I would not be quick dismiss this as an early fall migrant.  From my experience, they seem to be fairly late spring migrants.  I most often see spring migrants in mid-May through early June.  Finding a mate, nest building, incubating, raising and caring for young should take longer than a month for this large species.  Since we are in the their breeding range, I think we need consider the possibility that the bird was summering or breeding locally.

Birds of Illinois (Bailey/DeVore) cites fall migrants first arriving in mid-August.  I don't have  Bohlen's book; What does he say regarding breeding window date for the species in Illinois?

I had one at the Schroeder Preserve 6/2/10, but have not tried relocating it.  I also had one in what I felt was favorable habitat in Bloomington early June.  I presumed it was a migrant and did not report it or even record the exact date.  This species is now state-threatened and we paying closer attention to it.  Where exactly was this bird found?

Matthew Winks

> Subject: McLean Co.: Black-billed Cuckoo
> Date: Thu, 15 Jul 2010 10:20:58 -0500
> From: apca...@ilstu.edu
> To: CI...@googlegroups.com

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The New Busy think 9 to 5 is a cute idea. Combine multiple calendars with Hotmail. Get busy.

[Capparella, Angelo]

Bohlen says Black-billed arrives earlier than the Yellow-billed, although arrival date is irregular from year to year.  Some years they do not arrive until late May or early June.  Illinois egg dates are May 28 to August 2.  He then says earliest fall migrant records are July 6 (Lawrence County), July 8 (Williamson County); average arrival dates are mid-August.  So it could be a breeder.  Once I prepare it as a specimen I should be able to tell from gonad condition.

 

This one was found at a residence on S. Morris north of the intersection with Heatherhill Rd.  See attached aerial of 276-034.

 

AC