Bird Watching Curaçao – HOME

Every bird migration on the island is one filled with expectations; what species will be seen this year and where. And this year is no exception. Local birders are getting better and better in searching the interesting locations as well as in finding the smallest of birds. And photographing them of course.

Every single year in the month of October, the questions on social media increase about mysterious birds with conspicuous yellow bills, found in gardens, on roads and other locations. The birds appear to be exhausted and lifeless, and often die in pools, by traffic or by cats or dogs.  

Yellow-billed cuckoo

These birds are called Yellow-billed Cuckoos and they are migratory species from North America, making the long journey to the south when winter starts creeping in in their breeding grounds. However the long journey takes a heavy toll on these birds, and when they arrive on our island for a much needed stop over to rest and refill their energy reserves before continuing their journey, they are often so exhausted that they will literally fall out of the sky. In this vulnerable state it is essential to them to find fresh water and insects to feed on, to get a little bit of their energy back and have a healthy rest. Sometimes though, they will not make it to their next snack or drink and perish of sheer exhaustion and undernourishment.

If the birds manage to find food and water in time, they will roam around in the shrubs on the island, searching for insects. After replenishing their fat reserves they will continue their travels to South America, leaving and disappearing from sight as suddenly as they appeared in the first place.

What to do when you find one of these exhausted birds?

First of all, if you have dogs or cats as pets, or you know that there are feral dogs or cats in the vicinity of the location of the bird, make sure to remove it and place it in a safe environment. Usually it is sufficient to keep the bird in a quiet and dark place to minimize stress, in a box for example, with a saucer with water so the bird can drink. After a night of rest in most cases the birds are rested enough to fly away and search for food. Just be sure to open the box in a safe place. If the rest was not enough, make sure you contact local bird specialist and bird bet Dr. Odette Doest.

English: Yellow-billed Cuckoo
Dutch: Geelsnavelkoekoek
Papiamentu: Kuku pik hel
Scientific: Coccyzus americanus