Identification - The Yellow-billed Cuckoo is about the size of a long slender crow. It is generally olive-brown above and white below and can be quickly identified by its curved yellow lower bill, the rufous color on its wings (most noticeable in flight) and large white spots on the ends of each of the black outer tail feathers.
Morsels - Folklore suggests that when the Yellow-billed Cuckoo utters its frequent calls on hot, muggy days, it is calling for rain, hence its colloquial name "Rain Crow." Cuckoos are some of the few birds that eat hairy caterpillars and are considered beneficial in helping control insects that defoliate forests.
