Common Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Copied!
Cuculus canorus
Copied!
Mass
~110 g
Habitat
Forests
Diet
Insects and invertebrates
How to recognize it
The Common Cuckoo leaves a strong impression even before you hear it. In flight it can look hawk-like and slim, with a long tail, and when it pauses on a branch it often sits stretched out, wings dropped and tail slightly lifted.
For most of the year it stays quiet and hard to notice, but in spring the male becomes impossible to miss, repeating its steady, familiar call for long stretches. The female also calls, with a louder bubbling sound that is heard less often.
It is tied to woods, light groves, scrub, and other places with trees or at least scattered bushes. Its food is mostly insects, especially hairy caterpillars, and it leaves for Africa and tropical Asia for the winter.
Quick Facts
Listen to the call
The Common Cuckoo leaves a strong impression even before you hear it. In flight it can look hawk-like and slim, with a long tail, and when it pauses on a branch it often sits stretched out, wings dropped and tail slightly lifted.
For most of the year it stays quiet and hard to notice, but in spring the male becomes impossible to miss, repeating its steady, familiar call for long stretches. The female also calls, with a louder bubbling sound that is heard less often.
It is tied to woods, light groves, scrub, and other places with trees or at least scattered bushes. Its food is mostly insects, especially hairy caterpillars, and it leaves for Africa and tropical Asia for the winter.
How to recognize it
Sources
- eBird — Cuculus canorus Sightings map and full description on eBird
- Wikipedia — Common cuckoo Encyclopedia article