Common cuckoo

Common cuckoos are solitary birds more often heard than seen. The familiar and unforgettable 'cuck-oo cuck-oo' call heralds the beginning of spring when they return to Europe from wintering in sub-Saharan Africa and south east Asia. As one of the most infamous brood parasites, cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds with precision timing. Once hatched, the chick ejects the legitimate occupants and then gets fed by its new and unsuspecting foster parents - true masters of deception.

Did you know?
Cuckoos shake the toxins out of hairy caterpillars before eating them.


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