The American Bird Conservancy estimates only about 350 to 495 pairs of the migratory Western yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) are left in the 12 Western states, and none seen in Oregon, Washington or Montana recently. The birds prefer open woodlands near streams, rivers or lakes.

On Oct. 2, 2014, the Fish and Wildlife Service declared the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) a threatened species under the Endangered Species Act. Fish and Wildlife proposes to designate 546,335 acres as "critical habitat" for the Western yellow-billed cuckoo, including over 242,000 acres of private and locally-owned property surrounding 80 rivers and streams in 65 counties in Arizona, California, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.

The birds breed in the woods from southern Canada to Mexico, and migrate south to Central America and as far south as northern Argentina.

The most sightings of the yellow-billed cuckoo are in southern Arizona around the San Pedro River and at Cienega Creek. About 5,000 acres of critical habitat would be in the upper Cienega Creek.

The decline in the bird's population is largely attributed to the species' loss of riparian habitat, dam construction, growth in agriculture and river flow management.

In Utah, where the bird is rarely seen, the critical habitat designation is confined to the eastern part of the state. Utah Republican Reps. Jason Chaffetz and Chris Stewart oppose the birds' listing under the Endangered Species Act, but also believe Fish and Wildlife's proposed budge of $3.2 million to cover federal permitting requirements for landowners and state and local governments is not realistic. They told Salt Lake City's Deseret News the critical habitat proposal will "cost much more in direct and indirect costs, regulatory delays and other impediments to vital economic activities."

Environmentalists argue that any attention and conservation of riparian areas can only benefit the endangered birds and other animal species.