Yellow-billed Cuckoo by Ken _Gilliland
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Description
Here's the Western Yellow-billed Cuckoo flying over some sagebrush with a tasty treat. That "tasty treat" will be part of my next Nature's Wonders 3D model set.
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo was the primary reason for creating the Songbird ReMix Cuckoos set. The "Western" subspecies of this is endangered and championed (along with the Tri-colored Blackbird) in my annual Audubon B-day Charity sale in April.
In California, this cuckoo once numbered more than 15,000 pairs, but the population has been reduced to about 40 pairs in less than 100 years, owing primarily to the destruction and degradation of preferred riparian habitat. Until recently, the critically imperiled western population received no federal protection due largely to controversy surrounding the validity of its subspecies status. After almost 30 years of petitioning, however, the western subspecies of Yellow-billed Cuckoo was successfully deemed a distinct population segment and was granted protection as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in October 2014. A proposed rule to designate critical riparian habitat under the Act was approved 2021 by the current Administration.
Cuckoos are known worldwide for their bizarre haunts and habits, and the Yellow-billed Cuckoo is no exception. Furtive, retiring, and watchful by nature, this species' presence may be first revealed by its hollow, wooden call: ka-ka-ka-ka- kow-kow-kow-kow-kowlp-kowlp-kowlp. It has been dubbed the “Raincrow” because of its apparent tendency to call more frequently on cloudy days, although its proficiency as predictor of weather has never been demonstrated.
Comments (5)
Flint_Hawk
It looks like this Cuckoo is going to have a feast! What a splendid render!
How terrible this bird is so endangered though!
contedesfees
An excellent render indeed. Nature is going to catch up with us. If we're not more careful, it'll be our turn next.
starship64
This is beautiful work!
STEVIEUKWONDER
Such an impressive piece of art. Very lovely indeed!
3DClassics123456
Birds are so fascinating that my wife and i will cover our van's sides with stickers showing different birds. About Audubon, this racist enslaver, it appears that this name will disappear soon .from many birds or Societies names.