Photo: Wolfgang Wander (colors adjusted by Skiessi) / CC BY-SA 2.5 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) — Cuckoos & Turacos of North America.
Found across 10 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in North America. Adults weigh 50.9 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Coccyzus
- Species erythropthalmus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 50.9 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-billed Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-billed Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
The Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) is a member of the Cuculidae family, within the order Cuculiformes. It occurs naturally across North America. Its distribution covers NA sc, se Canada and c, e USA.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 50.9 g, with a wing length of about 13.7 cm and a tail of around 14.3 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 4.9 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-billed Cuckoo?
The Black-billed Cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 50.9 g.
Where does the Black-billed Cuckoo live?
The Black-billed Cuckoo is found across North America with a range covering NA sc, se Canada and c, e USA, where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-billed Cuckoo belong to?
The Black-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus erythropthalmus) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Black-billed Cuckoo eat?
The Black-billed Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-billed Cuckoo migrate?
The Black-billed Cuckoo is migratory, making regular seasonal journeys between its breeding and non-breeding ranges.
Is the Black-billed Cuckoo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-billed Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Black-billed Cuckoo — including its flight call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-billed Cuckoo's range?
The Black-billed Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 4.9 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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