Arizona · Summer breeder

Yellow-billed Cuckoos in Arizona

When yellow-billed cuckoos are present in Arizona, when they nest, which native Arizona plants feed them, and how to host them in a USDA 4b–10b yard.

Cuckoos (Cuculidae)Yellow-billed CuckooCoccyzus americanus

Status in Arizona: Summer breeder
Nesting window: April–August
Broods: 1–2 per season
Hardiness zones: USDA 4b–10b

When to expect yellow-billed cuckoos in Arizona

Yellow-billed Cuckoos are summer residents in Arizona, arriving shortly before nesting begins in April and leaving after the young are independent.

Hot Sonoran and Mojave deserts in the south and west, with pine-oak sky islands and the Colorado Plateau rising above 7,000 ft.

Nesting in Arizona

Across Arizona, yellow-billed cuckoos typically nest from April–August. Plan around that window: March for setup, August for clean-out.

Summer highs above 110°F in Phoenix and Tucson make water the single strongest attractant; the July monsoon triggers a second breeding pulse.

Yellow-billed Cuckoos don't use nest boxes. Keep dense native shrubs and trees such as smooth sumac, black cherry, american elderberry for nest sites.
Delay heavy pruning of shrubs until after August.

Native Arizona plants that attract yellow-billed cuckoos

Of the regional native plants we track for Arizona, these 8 provide food or cover yellow-billed cuckoos use:

Smooth sumac

Rhus glabra · Shrub

Red fruit heads hang on through winter.

Black cherry

Prunus serotina · Tree

Summer fruit and one of the top caterpillar host trees.

American elderberry

Sambucus canadensis · Shrub

Late-summer berry clusters taken by over 40 bird species.

Virginia creeper

Parthenocissus quinquefolia · Vine

Blue fruit on red stems in early fall.

Tall goldenrod

Solidago altissima · Perennial

Insect-rich in fall and seed in winter.

Chokecherry

Prunus virginiana · Shrub

Dark summer fruit and heavy caterpillar load.

Red-osier dogwood

Cornus sericea · Shrub

White fruit and red winter stems; good thicket cover.

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum · Tree

Berry-like cones feed bluebirds, solitaires and waxwings in winter.

Feeding yellow-billed cuckoos through the Arizona year

Top foods: None — leave tent caterpillars for them.
In Arizona's summer: offer water and insect foods; natural food is abundant.

Full diet breakdown for yellow-billed cuckoos · Best feeder for yellow-billed cuckoos

Frequently asked

Are yellow-billed cuckoos in Arizona year-round?

No. Yellow-billed Cuckoos are summer breeders in Arizona and leave for the winter.

When do yellow-billed cuckoos nest in Arizona?

Nesting in Arizona typically runs April–August, with 1–2 per season. Clutches are 1–5 eggs, incubated for 9–11 days.

What native plants attract yellow-billed cuckoos in Arizona?

Smooth sumac, Black cherry, American elderberry, Virginia creeper, Tall goldenrod, Chokecherry, Red-osier dogwood, Rocky Mountain juniper are native plants in Arizona that provide food or cover for yellow-billed cuckoos.

Other backyard birds in Arizona

Northern Cardinal Eastern Bluebird Purple Martin Hairy Woodpecker American Goldfinch White-breasted Nuthatch House Wren House Finch Mourning Dove American Robin Dark-eyed Junco Song Sparrow Chipping Sparrow Northern Flicker Red-breasted Nuthatch Brown Creeper Red-winged Blackbird Evening Grosbeak Pine Siskin Indigo Bunting Gray Catbird Northern Mockingbird Cedar Waxwing Tree Swallow Barn Swallow Yellow-rumped Warbler House Sparrow European Starling Steller's Jay Woodhouse's Scrub-Jay Mountain Chickadee Bushtit Juniper Titmouse Pygmy Nuthatch Anna's Hummingbird Black-chinned Hummingbird Broad-tailed Hummingbird Costa's Hummingbird Lesser Goldfinch Cassin's Finch Spotted Towhee Canyon Towhee Gambel's Quail Western Bluebird Mountain Bluebird Say's Phoebe Black Phoebe Gila Woodpecker Ladder-backed Woodpecker Cactus Wren Curve-billed Thrasher Verdin Pyrrhuloxia Bewick's Wren White-crowned Sparrow Violet-green Swallow Black-headed Grosbeak Lazuli Bunting Bullock's Oriole Eurasian Collared-Dove White-winged Dove Inca Dove American Crow Common Raven Cooper's Hawk Sharp-shinned Hawk Red-tailed Hawk Great Horned Owl American Kestrel Wild Turkey Mallard Great Blue Heron Belted Kingfisher Eastern Meadowlark Brown-headed Cowbird Ruby-crowned Kinglet Golden-crowned Kinglet Hermit Thrush Red Crossbill Gray Catbird Western Tanager Hooded Oriole Phainopepla Black-throated Sparrow Lark Sparrow Green-tailed Towhee Pinyon Jay Western Screech-Owl Hooded Merganser Band-tailed Pigeon Yellow Warbler Common Yellowthroat Yellow-breasted Chat Orange-crowned Warbler Warbling Vireo Western Kingbird Vermilion Flycatcher Ash-throated Flycatcher Cliff Swallow Northern Rough-winged Swallow Bank Swallow Common Nighthawk Canada Goose American Coot Killdeer Spotted Sandpiper Green Heron Black-crowned Night Heron Turkey Vulture Black Vulture Osprey Bald Eagle Merlin Peregrine Falcon Northern Saw-whet Owl Barn Owl Burrowing Owl Lewis's Woodpecker Savannah Sparrow Vesper Sparrow Horned Lark Blue Grosbeak Varied Bunting Cactus Wren Greater Roadrunner Yellow-headed Blackbird Brewer's Blackbird Great-tailed Grackle Rock Pigeon

Sources

Timing reflects typical patterns for the region as a whole; local dates vary with elevation and year. Check the linked eBird bar charts for your county.