Rain crows have been predicting rain, well duh

Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Coccyzus americanus

Now that summer is officially here, most of the birds have become quiet.


One exception is a very loquacious, yellow-billed cuckoo or cuckoos unknown living in the trees around the main parking lot at the Visitor Center. You can hear the  ka ka ka ka ka kow kow kow coughing calls throughout the day.


Once known as "rain crows," folk wisdom has it that when you heard one call it was going to rain, and since the past two weeks we've certainly had our share of rain. I think the cuckoos have been spot-on correct with their forecasts.


- Story and photo by Stephen Lyn Bales.