Yellow-billed Cuckoos mating
I have only seen this species a few times EVER, so seeing this mating behavior was very special! Initially, the male was seen nearby with something in his beak, and then he flew to where the female was perched and they assumed this pose for at least a minute - a very long time as typically such moments are very fleeting in birds! This ritual of mutually grasping the "gift" (which looks a bit like a green caterpillar) while mating is a well-recorded behavior in this species.
Photographed from within the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. The birds were across the street.
Aug. 18, 2024
Yellow-billed Cuckoos mating
I have only seen this species a few times EVER, so seeing this mating behavior was very special! Initially, the male was seen nearby with something in his beak, and then he flew to where the female was perched and they assumed this pose for at least a minute - a very long time as typically such moments are very fleeting in birds! This ritual of mutually grasping the "gift" (which looks a bit like a green caterpillar) while mating is a well-recorded behavior in this species.
Photographed from within the Paton Center for Hummingbirds. The birds were across the street.
Aug. 18, 2024