From flowers, to leaves, and even weeds, everything is blooming in May. In keeping with that theme, a magnolia blossom is taking center stage in this month's featured Audubon print! In fact, the subject of the print, the Black-billed Cuckoo, almost seems to blend in with its surroundings in deference to the Great Magnolia (
MAGNOLIA GRANDIFLORA). In this print (plate 32) the male (right) and the female (left) are shown in the branches of the blooming magnolia tree. Audubon even illustrated the magnolia blossom in three different phases; closed, in full bloom, and on its way out. In warmer climates, magnolias bloom as early as March, though here in the northeast they don't bloom until late April, and you might even spot them as late as May.
The brown feathers of the cuckoo almost camouflage it into the surrounding foliage, which might have been an intentional choice. According to the Audubon Field Guide, the cuckoo is described as "slipping furtively through leafy thickets, this slim, long-tailed bird is heard more often than seen." Read more about this elusive bird and hear its birdcall on the
Field Guide website, and visit us from May 6 though June 10 to see the print on display in our reading room.
Elizabeth Roscio
Preservation Librarian
