On July 7th 2009, we captured a yellow-billed cuckoo at Cibola Valley Conservation Area near Blythe California. We named him Screech La Rue, put 3 color bands and 1 uniquely numbered gold band on his legs, then glued a radio transmitter to his back to keep track of him. Here's Lindsey about to release Screech with his new transmitter.
About a week later Screech started nesting, and 15 days after that we banded his 3 nestlings each with a yellow band on one leg and a gold band on the other leg. Here is Screech Junior, estimated to be 5 days old.
We never saw any of them again, and weren't sure if they had even made it, until July 31st this year, when Screech Junior (the oldest of the 3) flew into our mist net. He still had his gold band, but his yellow band had fallen off. (Diane was very happy to see him again). We gave him 3 new color bands and attached a transmitter to him as well….
…and soon discovered that he was nesting, just 135 meters from his birth place! This shows that at least some cuckoos have high natal site fidelity. On August 14th we banded his 3 nestlings, and they all successfully fledged by August 18th. Here is his nest high in a cottonwood.
Hopefully next year they will all return to breed, and we will be waiting for them!
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