The Cuckoo, She's A Pretty Bird, She Sings As She Fiies....

My apologies to the unknown author of this old folk ballad.  When I see one of these birds this song always comes to mind.
It is a rare treat to observe a yellow-billed cuckoo long enough capture a decent image...

Cuckoos prefer caterpillars and other insects. It is usually found in dense foliage or in tree tops... 

This one is wiping it's beak.  A common behavior for many bird species.  It is thought that birds do this to (a) clean their beak after eating a juicy bug or berry; (b) sharpen and shape their beak, the edge of which is made of the protein keratin and continues to grow for their entire lives.  Birds hone their beaks into the shape that is best for grabbing their preferred food; (c) Birds produce preen oil through a gland and use it to maintain and waterproof their feathers. This oil contains odors and chemical signals that play a role in mate choice.  Birds slather preen oil on nearby surfaces to release those smells and lure a mate...

In my youth whenever we heard the call of a yellow-billed cuckoo usually on hot, humid afternoons, my Dad would announce that we were hearing a "rain crow," imagining that it was calling for rain.  It was not until many years later that I learned the true identity...

I often encounter people who mistake their song for that of a mourning dove, which it does resemble...

Thanks for visiting, be well, and come back soon.