Good news to sing about!
A threatened bird has been spotted in Petrified Forest National Park for the first time since the 1980s. The Yellow-billed Cuckoo was observed in the Arizona park this summer. Its call was also heard by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
The bird’s population has declined by 1.6% each year from 1966 to 2010, according to the National Park Service. In the 1970s, the bird only bred along 1 mile of river in Petrified Forest National Park, but that area has now expanded to 26 miles of river habitat, which could be credited with the return of the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.
“Surveys of the riparian areas of the park will continue in future years and restoration efforts along the Puerco River will include improving habitat for this secretive bird,” said the National Park Service.
