Just to expand on the ornithology aspects of this thread. There are actually 6 members of the Family Cuculidae (Cuckoos) that are known to nest in in the USA. There may be additional North American species from southern Mexico to Panama. There are about 125 species world-wide, most of them tropical. Some of the European cuckoo species are nest parasites that lay their eggs in other birds nests and have the young raised by foster parents. The US ones all build their own nests. We have the cowbird to fill the nest parasite niche.

Yellow-billed Cuckoo - this is the most widespread, found from British Columbia to Maine and south into Mexico and also the West Indies.

Black-billed Cuckoo - this is an eastern species found from southern Canada to the Gulf of Mexico but east of the Rocky Mountains.

Mangrove Cuckoo - restricted to the mangove thickets of coastal southern Florida and the Florida Keys.

Smooth-billed Ani - also restricted to southern Florida brush and farmland habitats.

Groove-billed Ani - Southern Texas possibly east to Louisiana.

Roadrunner (yes it is a ground dwelling cuckoo) - Arid regions of southwestern USA and south into Mexico

Back to lyrics, here is a version of "THE INCONSTANT LOVER" from the Frank C Brown Collection of North Carolina Folklore.

Cuckoo is a pretty bird, she sings as she flies,
She'll bring you good tidings, She'll tell you no lies.

I once loved a fond young man as dear as my life
And ofttimes he'd promise to make me his wife.

He fulfilled his promise; He made me his wife.
Now see what I've come to by changing my life.

It's trouble, it's trouble, It's trouble on my mind;
If trouble don't kill me I'll sure live a long time.

My children are crying, They're crying for bread.
My husband's off gambling- Lord, I wish I was dead.

I'll build me a castle on the mountain so high
Where the dear Lord can see me and hear my poor cry.

Young ladies, young ladies, take warning from me;
Never put your dependence in a green growing tree.

For the leaves they will wither, the roots they will die.
A young man will fool you, for one has fooled I.

I'm going to Georgia, I'm going to Rome,
I'm going to Georgia and call it my home.

note to catters in other countries that Rome is a town in Georgia.

rich r