Order: Cuckoo (Cuculiformes)

Different types of Cuckoo can be found in all continents of the world, except Antarctica.

There are 136 different types. Forty-five of these are "brood parasites". This means that they lay their eggs in the nests belonging to other species of bird.

Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus

The Cuckoo visits Britain when the weather improves, appearing in the springtime.

This Cuckoo can be grey-blue or reddish-brown. At first glance, you may think it is some type of hawk, but its beak is not as curved, and the end of its tail is more rounded than a hawks.

Also, Cuckoos do not sit upright like a hawk.

Habitat

Cuckoos like all types of woodland, and can also be found in parks and meadows if groups of trees are present.

Cuckoos eat insects and insect larvae such as caterpillars.

Nest and Eggs

This is a story to be told. The female Cuckoo will lay up to 20 eggs but each one is laid in a different nest, and each nest belongs to another type of bird entirely.

The Cuckoo always lays the eggs in a nest belonging to insect-eating songbird.

When the Cuckoo egg hatches, the tiny hatchling Cuckoo pushes all of the other eggs out of the nest. These unfortunate eggs drop to the ground and perish. The adult songbirds then feed and care for the Cuckoo chick, not realising what has happened.

Where and When?

Cuckoos can be found in all parts of the country between April and September.

Call

The male makes a loud and pleasant "Cuck-oo" sound, often three times in a row, as well as a "wow-wow-wow" sound.

Length

33 cm.

Fun Fact

Other types of Cuckoo eggs hatch along with the other eggs in the nest. The Cuckoo chick is much larger than the other type of chicks. When the adult nest-owner is delivering food, the Cuckoo chick shoves the other chicks out of the way, and screams loudly for attention. In this way it gets most of the food.