Tag: folklore
-
Rain Crows: Yellow- and Black-billed Cuckoos in American Culture
by Nicolette L. Cagle, August 24, 2026 In the last post, we investigated two North American cuckoos: The Black-billed and Yellow-billed Cuckoos. We followed them between continents and through forests whose resources pulse, including leaves bursting forth after monsoon rains, caterpillars swarming during outbreaks, and cicadas rising from the soil. Both cuckoo species respond strongly…
-
From the Land of the Cuckoos
By Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D, June 30, 2026 My mother’s maiden name is Kukulski. In Polish, kukułka means “cuckoo,” and the name carries bird-sound inside it: kuku, kuku. Before the cuckoo became a symbol, before some members of its family evolved brood parasitism, before people made it a marker of seasons, it was a voice…
-
Silver Birch: A Tree of Disturbance and Renewal
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., April 13, 2026 In the last several posts, I’ve explored the dry woodlands and steppe-edge habitats of Central Europe, where trees grow in bright light and on poor soils impacted by disturbance. After turning to Scots Pine, I arrive at another characteristic species of these transitional places: Silver Birch (Betula…
-
Black Poplar: The Fast-Growing Pioneer of Central Europe’s Floodplains
by Nicolette L. Cagle, Ph.D., April 13, 2026 In recent posts, I have been exploring the dynamic floodplain forests found along the iconic Danube, Morava, and Tisza Rivers, including the resilient, rooted, and red-hued Black Alder. But Black Alder is not alone in its ability to live with instability. It is joined by Black Poplar,…
You must be logged in to post a comment.