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Additional Information

1. The cuckoos are comprised of over 120 species. They are generally divided into

2. two groups: the parasitic and the nonparasitic. The parasitic cuckoos replace

3. the neighbor's eggs with their own and let the host hatch the eggs which are

4. almost identical in size and color to the host's eggs. The non-parasitic,

5. however, lay the eggs in their own nests and rear their own offspring. The

6. cuckoos that are arboreal are insectivorous, but the ones that lack climbing

7. flexibility are mainly carnivorous and feast on mice, snakes, birds, and

8. somewhat small ground animals. Their downcurved beak is an advantage in

9. killing the prey. The yellow-billed cuckoo and the black-billed cuckoo are the

10. most common species in North America. The cuckoos are mostly light brown

11. above and dull gray below, with the exception of the tropical species that are

12. brilliantly colored. A long tail is a common trait among the

13. cuckoos.

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