I had never heard of this bird, and mocked (as in Mockingbird) my wife who suggested that this is what it might be. Upon some text research, it appears that this bird is supposed to be a common summer resident in Kentucky. I haven't looked up Coccyzus americanus here at DG yet.
Here are some images. This bird bounced off a window, and my wife picked up the stunned non-sensical bird and let it rest in her lap.
Hi VV, Yes that is the beautiful Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
Another shot.
Beautiful shots! Thanks for taking such good care of him. Here is some more info on them.
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-billed_Cuckoo/id
And one more image - while I try to go out and get more.
Well, no luck with that. Elusive is right - it was perched in the same spot in my big 'Asian Beauty' viburnum by the porch where it had flown to when I was trying to get his mug shots in my wife's lap.
Of course, it wouldn't stay put NOW, and bounced around to dense leaf cluster to dense leaf cluster, despite my efforts to stay still and home in on it. Then, it decided to move to higher ground in a nearby White Ash - and right in line with the setting sun. Jerk.
I'm glad it is in better spirits now, and that it's penchant for hairy caterpillars is fulfilled in spades. There's several batches of them devouring foliage around the Valley as we speak.
You sure got some adorable photos of that one!! Thanks for sharing them with us.
Glad the little beauty is okay. YB Cuckoos are quite elusive, but also quite vocal. Listen for their "nyuck nyuck nyuck" call. It always reminds me of the 3 Stooges.
Carla
The best way to locate cuckoos is by their call. Listen to a recording and you'll start spotting cuckoos. They are pretty secretive and stay in the tops of trees. I have seen several this summer, one in my yard today, which was a new yard bird. Brings my yard bird count to 138 species.
Here is a recent pic of one you can compare to yours.
