ML139474021
Contributor
Date
Location
- Age
- Not specified
- Sex
- Not specified
Observation details
***Updated for historical record: This bird was accepted by the FOS and the ABA as the first Florida and ABA Area record of a Dark-billed Cuckoo. The bird was found on the east side of the mountain bike trail along the lake (26.4593, -80.2195). We were walking up a hill on the mountain bike trail and the bird flushed up into a tree next to us. It was clearly a cuckoo and our first impression was BBCU, but it was heavily backlit. A rider came by and flushed the bird further north up the trail, fortunately into much better lighting. We continued to believe it was a BBCU until we viewed the under-tail pattern in our photos later on. We then changed the ID to MACU, despite the suspiciously all black bill. Later after some research and input from others it was this decided that this was in fact a Dark-billed Cuckoo! Photos attached. You'll want to park at the southern parking lot and walk into the mountain bike trail and head north along the lake. If you're chasing, be aware that this biking trail is pretty active, some of the paths are extremely tight, and bikers fly through.
Technical information
- Original file size
- 5.76 MB