European Birds

Cuculidae : Cuckoos

Common Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus

female - Highland, Scotland - May 2014

The ringing "cuck-oo" call of the Common Cuckoo is one of the iconic sounds of springtime in Britain when they begin arriving in April. Although they are often heard, they are secretive birds and are seldom seen. Common Cuckoos are the archetypal brood parasites and are known to lay their eggs in the nests over 100 species of insectivorus songbirds over their range which extends as far east as Kamchatka and Japan.