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Subject:

Yellow-billed Cuckoo behavior

From:

Rick Sussman

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Tue, 24 May 2005 07:32:06 EDT

Hi all,
 Another interesting behavior, that I watched during May Count,  Saturday May 
14 at Hughes Hollow; 
 
Our group was standing at the far edge of the dike which separates the  
impoundments, looking into the small trees in the woods before the first fields  
(where the pine tree stand is). A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was perched in a small  
opening in the branches, and as we watched another (obviously male) YBCU hopped 
 down from above, where he was hidden by the leaves, and mounted the female. 
In  his bill was a large dragonfly, and as they mated he presented it to her,  
passing it from his bill to hers. After accepting it, he flew off and she ate 
 it. SWEET!  It's the rare moments like this which make a May Count  special!
 
Rick Sussman
Ashton, MD
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