Rare yellow-billed cuckoos spotted twice in Delta County

DELTA, Colo. (AP) - Federal wildlife officials say the rare Western yellow-billed cuckoo has been spotted twice in Delta County.

The Daily Sentinel reports (https://bit.ly/2cPCJMl ) that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says the secretive birds have previously been spotted in Mesa and Delta counties, often identified by their distinctive “klak-klak” call.

The birds are listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is considering designating parts of western Colorado as critical habitat for the migratory bird.

Officials say the two Delta County contacts could be factored into Fish and Wildlife’s critical-habitat designation.

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Information from: The Daily Sentinel, https://www.gjsentinel.com