Black-billed Cuckoo look-alikes
Coccyzus erythropthalmus
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Open the appSeveral birds can be mistaken for the Black-billed Cuckoo. Compare the key differences below to confirm your sighting.
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Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
Key differences
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo has a prominent yellow lower mandible (often with a dark tip), a less distinct eye-ring (sometimes yellow or pale), and large, bold white tips on the underside of its tail feathers. Its flight feathers show a more extensive reddish-cinnamon patch. Its song is slower, more rhythmic 'k-k-k-kow-kow-kowp' rather than the Black-billed's faster, clappering series.
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