The eastern subspecies of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo, like many birds of North America, is in decline due in part to habitat loss. This neotropical migrant was once common to abundant during summer in appropriate environments across much of its historical range (the eastern U.S., essentially from Texas to the Canadian border) but now has stable populations only over about 2% of that range.  A shy bird more often heard than seen, the Yellow-billed Cuckoo prefers forests near water with a mix of openings and thickly vegetated areas. We catch glimpses of Cuckoos from time to time, but getting a clear shot of one at close range is not an everyday occurrence.