Refuge staff completed a survey for yellow-billed cuckoo this month.  The survey was started in June and completed on July 11^th.  The survey was done to test a monitoring protocol that is being written by the refuge.  The survey is conducted once every three days during the breeding season for cuckoos.  A call-response technique is used, this method is recommended to survey for birds such as the yellow-billed cuckoo, because they are normally hard to locate and monitor.  The survey is done over fifteen points that are set with-in the preferred habitat for yellow-billed cuckoo, riparian areas of cottonwood and willow.  A tape is played once a minute for five minutes and all sightings and responses are recorded.  Prior to this year no surveys had been conducted successfully on the refuge, due to budget and personnel issues.  Based on the findings of the survey it is believed that there are potentially 3 nesting pairs on the refuge.  Based on the success of this survey the monitoring plan will be finalized and sent to the regional office for approval.