In 2004, the U.S. Geological Survey, Southwest Biological Center and EMA conducted surveys for the southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) and the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) on Spur Land and Cattle Company property located along the Verde River in Camp Verde, Arizona. We surveyed for southwestern willow flycatchers four times between 17 May and 29 June. We surveyed for yellow-billed cuckoos during four different time periods between 1 June and 15 August. We detected one migrant willow flycatcher (subspecies unknown) and one southwestern willow flycatcher breeding territory; the territorial pair made one nesting attempt. There was a total of five yellow-billed cuckoo detections within the property. Both the flycatcher and cuckoo detections occurred in mixed native riparian habitat.

Click below to hear what the yellow-billed cuckoos and southwestern willow flycatchers sound like:

Yellow-Billed Cuckoo
The Yellow-billed Cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) is a neotropical migrant and a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. This cuckoo has been detected periodically along the Verde River.

Southwestern Willow Flycatcher
The Southwestern Willow Flycatcher (Empidonax traillii extimus) is asmall passerine bird that was listed as endangered in 1995. It nests in dense, typically wet, riparian habitats on its North American breeding grounds. The population at breeding sites along the Verde Riverhas declined since the late 1990s.                               

                               

                  Song 1                                 Song 2