Page 239 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

CUCKOOS
Order Cuculiformes Family Cuculidae Species Cuculus canorus
Cuckoo wedge- head held up short, thick,
curved bill
shaped tail
with yellow
yellow eye base
long medium
wings pale spot grey head
on nape and chest
pale band
under wings
ADULT
dark, ADULT JUVENILE
white-
spotted
tail
IN FLIGHT
dark medium grey
wingtips upperparts
grey bars
on white
brown back underside
with dark bars
ADULT
broad rufous
and black
bars on tail
JUVENILE
quite large, long-winged, long-
Atailed grey bird, the Cuckoo in FLIGHT: low, direct, heavy-looking, with head held
spring is familiar to everyone by its call, but not its appearance. up, wings below horizontal; quick, deep downward
In late summer, it is the barred, brown young cuckoo that is more beats; often swoops up to perch.
often seen, calling loudly to be fed by almost
any bird that passes by:its call and huge,orange GIANT CHICK
gape prove irresistible. Cuckoos typically perch Cuckoo chicks are often reared
low down in or on the edge of trees, but are by small foster parents such as
often easier to see singing or calling from Reed Warblers.
telephone wires; they also fly about from tree
to tree, giving frequent short flight views.
VOICE Familiar loud, bright cuc-coo,
sometimes cuc-cuc-coo, much more staccato
than Collared Dove song, also rough, laughing
wha-wha-wha; loud, rich, throaty bubble from female and loud, thin, hissing ssee-ssee-
ssee from juvenile begging food.
NESTING Lays eggs in other birds’ nests; 1–25 (usually 9) eggs per female, 1 per
nest; May–June.
FEEDING Drops to ground to pick up large, hairy caterpillars; also eats small insects.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Summer visitor to all Europe
SPARROWHAWK 3; STOCK DOVE KESTREL 2 rounder head except Iceland, migrating back
similar in flight; similar in flight; similar to juvenile;
see p.138 squarer see p.233 see p.140 south early in autumn. On bushy
head shorter moorland and heaths, in woods
wings
longer outer and well-wooded farmland,
wings in
broad around reedbeds, and wherever
thinner tail flight small birds nest.
tail
broader, thinner Seen in the UK
blunter wings chunkier tail J F M A M JJ A S O N D
Length 32–34cm (12 1 ⁄2 –13 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 55–65cm (22–26in) Weight 105–130g (4–5oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan Up to 10 years Status Secure
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