Cuckoo, Yellow-billed**
Description: This bird is often heard, but less often seen, in shrubby areas or the McDonald Woods foraging for caterpillars.
Cuckoo, Black-billed*
Description: This state-threatened species is often heard, but less often seen, in shrubby areas or in the McDonald Woods foraging for caterpillars.
Crow, American***
Description: Although their numbers were greatly reduced by West Nile virus, these easily identified birds are once again common throughout the year.
Crossbill, White-winged
Description: The male is bright pink! Seeing a pink bird in an evergreen in winter is quite a sight. The crossbill also has white wing bars and a slightly crossed bill, which enables it to extract seeds from cones. Wherever there are stands of spruces and other conifers, a flock of crossbills may be feasting. They always seem to be on the fly, so finding them at the Garden is more difficult than finding siskins and redpolls. This rare member of the finch family has a bill specialized for extracting seed from spruce cones.
Crossbill, Red
Description: This rare member of the finch family has a bill specialized for extracting seed from spruce cones. Their appearance at the Garden is associated with variations in spruce cone abundance. Look for them around the conifers.
Creeper, Brown
Description: This frequently seen migrant leaves a characteristic spiraling accent on tree trunks as it feeds in wooded areas of the Garden.
Crane, Sandhill
Description: Follow the distinctive call to spot this bird flying over in large numbers late in the fall just before cold weather sets in.
Cowbird, Brown-headed***
Description: Quite common in the Midwest, these birds lay their eggs in other species' nests. They can be found everywhere at the Garden looking for nests in which to lay their eggs. One female can lay 70 eggs in one season.
Cormorant, Double-crested
Description: This cormorant may be visible on the lakes and in the Barbara Brown Nature Reserve, standing on logs in the water with wings held out to dry.
Coot, American
Description: This duck-like bird swims with its non-webbed, flattened, toe-like feet on the lakes. It may also be seen on the Dixon Prairie at the south end of the Garden.