Wildlife
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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Cuckoo dogfight
Two males compete for control of a reedbed territory.
Liz Bonnin watches as two males compete for control of a territory that should help them attract a female.
Cuckoo tracker
Scientist Chris Hughson uses satellite tags to track the migration of cuckoos.
Scientist Chris Hughson uses satellite tags to track the migration of cuckoos.
Spring signal
There's a darker side to the tradtional seasonal harbinger.
There's a darker side to the tradtional seasonal harbinger.
One flew over the cuckoo's nest
Iolo Williams watches meadow pipits as they attempt to fend off a cuckoo from their nest.
Iolo Williams watches the plight of meadow pipits fighting to prevent cuckoos from infiltrating their nest.
The first cuckoo of spring
A catastrophic decline in cuckoo numbers threatens the cultural tradition of reporting spring's arrival.
A catastrophic decline in cuckoo numbers threatens the cultural tradition of reporting spring's arrival.
Species range provided by WWF's Wildfinder.
The Common cuckoo can be found in a number of locations including: Africa, Asia, China, Europe, Indian subcontinent, Mediterranean, Russia, United Kingdom, Wales, Ynys-hir nature reserve. Find out more about these places and what else lives there.
The following habitats are found across the Common cuckoo distribution range. Find out more about these environments, what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them.
Discover what these behaviours are and how different plants and animals use them.
Additional data source: Animal Diversity Web
Least Concern
Year assessed: 2009
Classified by: IUCN 3.1
The Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) (formerly European Cuckoo) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals.
This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. It is a brood parasite, which means it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly of Dunnocks, Meadow Pipits, and Eurasian Reed Warblers.
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Farmland
Heathland
Marsh
Mediterranean forest
Broadleaf forest
Coniferous forest
Wetlands
Migration
Adapted to flying
Acoustic communication
Kleptoparasitic
Egg layer
Parasitic