Bird
Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Coccyzus americanus
A summer resident that nests in Alabama. Found in all 67 counties, across 16 habitats.
- Here
- Summer
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 67 counties
- Habitats
- 16

At a glance
- Group
- Birds
- Here
- Summer
- Nesting
- Nests here
- Range
- All 67 counties
- Habitats
- 16
- Habitat models
- Summer
Where it lives
The places its habitat model includes. It is not found everywhere a habitat occurs.
Habitats in Alabama 16
Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.


Streams, rivers and their banks


Disturbed and introduced wetlands
Wet ground taken over by weedy or introduced plants after disturbance, such as common reed, Chinese tallow or tamarisk stands; the upland counterpart is roadsides, fields and disturbed ground.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Forests on low ground beside rivers and streams that flood from time to time.
Flat, poorly drained uplands and terraces with oaks, sweetgum and sometimes loblolly pine, wet in winter and dry in summer, but neither a floodplain nor a swamp.

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.
Borders of forests, clearings and shrubby thickets.
Glades, barrens and outcrops on limestone
Open, thin-soil openings and rock on limestone, dolomite or other lime-rich rock, including cedar glades.
Granite and other acidic rock outcrops
Bare or thin-soil rock on granite, gneiss, sandstone, quartzite and similar acidic rock, including granite flatrocks and domes.
Salt-pruned forests and shrub thickets behind coastal dunes.
Forests between dry and moist, often oak-hickory on slopes.
Forests on moist but not wet ground, such as rich slopes and ravines.
Tree plantations and managed pine
Planted or intensively managed stands of pine or hardwoods grown for timber; a land use rather than a natural community.
Other habitats in its models (99)
Land cover, or classes with no habitat page in Alabama. Those recorded in Alabama first, the rest by region.
In Alabama 1
- Southern Piedmont Glade and Barrens Summer, only within 120 m of water.
Elsewhere in the South (55)
- Appalachian Shale Barrens Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Brownwater Stream Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Central Maritime Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry and Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood and Mixed Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Peatland Pocosin Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Blackwater River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Small Brownwater River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Maritime Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Southern Tidal Wooded Swamp Summer.
- Central and South Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Central and Southern Appalachian Northern Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Crosstimbers Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Bluff Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Southern Loess Bluff Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Pine Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Post Oak Savanna and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East-Central Texas Plains Riparian Forest Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Dune Woodland and Forest Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Flatwoods Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Mississippi River Alluvial Plain Dry-Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Mississippi River Bottomland Depression Summer.
- Mississippi River Low Floodplain (Bottomland) Forest Summer.
- Mississippi River Riparian Forest Summer.
- Nashville Basin Limestone Glade Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Northern Crowley's Ridge Sand Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Ouachita Montane Oak Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry Oak Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Ozark-Ouachita Riparian Summer.
- Ozark-Ouachita Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Red River Large Floodplain Forest Summer.
- South Florida Bayhead Swamp Summer.
- South Florida Cypress Dome Summer.
- South Florida Dwarf Cypress Savanna Summer.
- South Florida Hardwood Hammock Summer.
- South-Central Interior / Upper Coastal Plain Flatwoods Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southeast Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Bog and Fen Summer.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Cove Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Crowley's Ridge Mesic Loess Slope Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southwest Florida Coastal Strand and Maritime Hammock Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Chenier and Upper Texas Coastal Fringe Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Large River Floodplain Forest Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Mesic Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Large River Swamp Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Nonriverine Wet Hardwood Flatwoods Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Flatwoods Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Pine-Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Sandhill Oak and Shortleaf Pine Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Seepage Swamp and Baygall Summer.
- West Gulf Coastal Plain Small Stream and River Forest Summer.
Northeast (9)
- Appalachian Hemlock-Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Appalachian Alkaline Glade and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Appalachian Oak and Pine Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Central Appalachian Pine-Oak Rocky Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Wet Flatwoods Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Pine Barrens Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Basin Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest Summer.
- Northern Atlantic Coastal Plain Dry Hardwood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
Midwest (6)
- North-Central Interior Beech-Maple Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Dry Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Dry-Mesic Oak Forest and Woodland Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Interior Maple-Basswood Forest Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- North-Central Oak Barrens Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Western Great Plains Wooded Draw and Ravine Summer, only within 120 m of water.
Land cover and other classes (28)
- Allegheny-Cumberland Dry Oak Forest and Woodland - Pine Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Blackwater Stream Floodplain Forest - Forest Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Clay-Based Carolina Bay Forested Wetland Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Fall-line Sandhills Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Oak Dominated Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Nonriverine Swamp and Wet Hardwood Forest - Taxodium/Nyssa Modifier Summer.
- Atlantic Coastal Plain Streamhead Seepage Swamp - Pocosin - and Baygall Summer.
- Central Appalachian Riparian - Forest Modifier Summer.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Black Belt Calcareous Prairie and Woodland - Woodland Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Shortleaf Pine-Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Interior Upland Longleaf Pine Woodland - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Near-Coast Pine Flatwoods - Offsite Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- East Gulf Coastal Plain Northern Loess Plain Oak-Hickory Upland - Juniper Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Eastern Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
- Lower Mississippi River Bottomland Depressions - Forest Modifier Summer.
- Mississippi River Floodplain and Riparian Forest Summer.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Northeastern Interior Dry Oak Forest-Hardwood Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern and Central Appalachian Oak Forest - Xeric Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Clethra Modifier Summer.
- Southern Coastal Plain Nonriverine Basin Swamp - Okefenokee Pine Modifier Summer.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Loblolly Pine Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-(Pine) Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Piedmont Dry Oak-Heath Forest - Mixed Modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Southern Ridge and Valley Dry Calcareous Forest - Pine modifier Summer, only within 120 m of water.
- Western Great Plains Floodplain Systems Summer.
Seasons in Alabama
- Summer: nests here, in all 67 counties.
Also found in its main habitats
Its main habitats in Alabama, by how much of its habitat model each one is, with the birds most characteristic of each and the plants that grow wild there. Shared habitat, not food.
Floodplain and bottomland forests
Birds 104
- Black-throated Blue WarblerDendroica caerulescens
- Willow FlycatcherEmpidonax traillii
- Evening GrosbeakCoccothraustes vespertinus
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Magnolia WarblerDendroica magnolia
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Wilson's WarblerWilsonia pusilla
- Worm-eating WarblerHelmitheros vermivorum
- American WoodcockScolopax minor
- AnhingaAnhinga anhinga
Plants 418
- Elliott's BlueberryVaccinium elliottii
- White Panicled Aster; Eastern Lined AsterSymphyotrichum lanceolatum var. latifolium
- Possumhaw HollyIlex decidua
- Cherrybark OakQuercus pagoda
- Appalachian Orange ConeflowerRudbeckia umbrosa
- Rudbeckia fulgida var. spathulataRudbeckia spathulata
- Shagbark HickoryCarya ovata
- Southern Shagbark HickoryCarya carolinae-septentrionalis
- Spruce Pine; Walters Pine; Cedar PinePinus glabra
- Spreading SedgeCarex laxiculmis
- Louisiana SedgeCarex louisianica
- Smooth Hedge-nettleStachys tenuifolia
Dry forests and woodlands
Birds 79
- Blackburnian WarblerDendroica fusca
- Red CrossbillLoxia curvirostra
- Red-cockaded WoodpeckerPicoides borealis
- Black-throated Green WarblerDendroica virens
- Blue-headed VireoVireo solitarius
- Evening GrosbeakCoccothraustes vespertinus
- Pine WarblerDendroica pinus
- Brown-headed NuthatchSitta pusilla
- Bachman's SparrowAimophila aestivalis
- OvenbirdSeiurus aurocapilla
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
Plants 224
- Chestnut OakQuercus montana
- Georgia OakQuercus georgiana
- American ChestnutCastanea dentata
- Boynton's OakQuercus boyntonii
- White ThoroughwortEupatorium album
- Sessileleaf Tick-trefoilDesmodium sessilifolium
- Painted SedgeCarex picta
- Ernests SpiderwortTradescantia ernestiana
- Leavenworth's SedgeCarex leavenworthii
- Southern Whitetinge SedgeCarex albicans var. australis
- Southern LoosestrifeSteironema tonsa
- Alabama SkullcapScutellaria alabamensis
Swamps
Birds 102
- Eurasian WigeonAnas penelope
- Louisiana WaterthrushSeiurus motacilla
- Ruddy TurnstoneArenaria interpres
- Magnolia WarblerDendroica magnolia
- Red-breasted NuthatchSitta canadensis
- Reddish EgretEgretta rufescens
- RedheadAythya americana
- Swainson's WarblerLimnothlypis swainsonii
- Tricolored HeronEgretta tricolor
- AnhingaAnhinga anhinga
- Broad-winged HawkButeo platypterus
- Cerulean WarblerDendroica cerulea
Plants 327
- Black Highbush BlueberryVaccinium fuscatum
- Dahoon HollyIlex cassine
- May HawthornCrataegus aestivalis
- Carolina AshFraxinus caroliniana
- Dense-flower SmartweedPersicaria densiflora
- Swamp TupeloNyssa biflora
- Water HickoryCarya aquatica
- Bent SedgeCarex styloflexa
- Collins's SedgeCarex collinsii
- Cypress-swamp SedgeCarex joorii
- Dark-green SedgeCarex venusta
- Fringed SedgeCarex crinita
Sources
- USGS Gap Analysis Project habitat models (2001)
- USGS GAP summer habitat model for Yellow-billed Cuckoo Elevation up to 1,265 m
- USGS Gap Analysis Project range maps (2001), modeled by watershed; migratory gives no dates
- NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0), habitat names
- US Census TIGER/Line counties
- Names follow the USGS Gap Analysis Project (2001)



















































