Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus): The enigmatic spring singer
The Common Cuckoo, a discreet silhouette whose call announces spring.
Introduction: The call of spring
The Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is one of the most emblematic birds of our countryside, whose distinctive call marks the arrival of spring. This cuckoo bird is famous for its peculiar lifestyle: it does not build a nest but lays its eggs in those of other species. Despite this unique strategy, the Common Cuckoo remains a master of discretion, often heard but rarely seen. This guide will help you unravel the mysteries of this enigmatic traveler and understand its fascinating role in nature.
Identification: An elegant silhouette
Identifying the Common Cuckoo can be a visual challenge, as it is quite discreet, but certain characteristics help with its identification.
Plumage and Characteristics
Color: The adult Common Cuckoo features slate-grey plumage on its back, head, and chest, contrasting with a white belly barred with fine black stripes. Females may occasionally have a rufous phase (very rare).
Flight Silhouette: Its silhouette is slender, with pointed wings and a long tail. In flight, it can sometimes be mistaken for a Eurasian Sparrowhawk due to its shape and gliding flight, but it has more regular wingbeats.
Tail: Long and slightly rounded.
Size: Approximately 32-34 cm (12.6-13.4 inches) long, with a wingspan of 55-60 cm (21.7-23.6 inches).
The Common Cuckoo often perches discreetly in trees or bushes, observing its surroundings.
Our Ornithologist's Tip
By the Les-Oiseaux.com team, published on September 03, 2025
My advice: The Common Cuckoo is an indicator of the health of the ecosystems where it nests, as its survival directly depends on that of its host birds. The preservation of these species' habitats, such as reed beds for Great Reed Warblers or hedges and thickets for Dunnocks, is therefore essential for the protection of the Cuckoo. Educate yourself and participate in efforts to conserve natural environments.
Habitat and Nesting: The parasitism specialist
The cuckoo bird is a fascinating species due to its unique reproductive adaptation.
Habitat
The Common Cuckoo frequents a wide variety of habitats, from open forests to heathlands, as well as wetlands rich in vegetation and hedged grasslands. It is present wherever it can find its host birds, such as the Great Reed Warbler, Dunnock, White Wagtail, or Meadow Pipit.
The Nest
The Common Cuckoo does not build a nest. It is a brood parasite: the female lays a single egg in the nest of another species. The young cuckoo, once hatched, often ejects the other eggs or chicks from the nest, thus ensuring its own survival and receiving all the attention from its adoptive parents. This strategy significantly reduces parental effort for the Cuckoo.
Geographical Range and Distribution Map
The map below illustrates the extensive breeding, non-breeding, and passage ranges of the Common Cuckoo across the globe.
Breeding Range
Non-breeding Range
Passage Area
Migration: A great traveler
The Common Cuckoo is a long-distance, trans-Saharan migrant. Each year, it travels very long distances, leaving Europe and Asia in early summer to winter in Sub-Saharan Africa. Its return in spring is one of the most anticipated signals of the warmer season, announcing the arrival of longer, warmer days.
Diet & Feeding: The caterpillar gleaner
The Common Cuckoo is primarily insectivorous. It feeds on a wide variety of invertebrates, with a strong preference for caterpillars, including hairy caterpillars that many other birds avoid. It catches them on the ground or in dense vegetation, making it a natural regulator of insect populations.
Vocalizations: The famous "cuckoo" call
The Common Cuckoo is world-renowned for its distinctive call, a clear and repetitive "cuckoo" sound emitted by the male. This call is particularly audible from spring to early summer.
Listen to the characteristic call of the Common Cuckoo:
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Females have a less known, higher-pitched, trilling call.
Other species to know: Don't confuse them anymore!
Although its call is inimitable, the Common Cuckoo can sometimes be visually confused in flight with the Eurasian Sparrowhawk or Common Kestrel due to its silhouette and flight. However, the Cuckoo has more pointed wings and its flight is more direct, with regular wingbeats, whereas raptors often have a more soaring flight and broader wings. Its behavior (rarely perching openly, seeking caterpillars) and of course its call, clearly distinguish it from raptors.
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Conservation Status & Threats
The Common Cuckoo is classified as "Least Concern" on the IUCN Red List. However, local declines are observed in some regions, often linked to the decrease in populations of its host birds or habitat loss due to agricultural intensification and pesticide use, which reduce the availability of insects it feeds on.
Decline of host birds: The scarcity of parasitized species directly impacts Cuckoo populations.
Habitat loss: The alteration of rural landscapes and the destruction of wetlands or hedges reduce the living spaces for hosts and the availability of prey.
Decrease in insects: Intensive use of pesticides affects its primary food source.
To help the Common Cuckoo, it is crucial to support efforts to preserve natural habitats and promote more environmentally friendly agricultural practices.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Cuckoo
Why doesn't the Cuckoo build a nest?
The Cuckoo is a brood parasite. The female lays her eggs in the nests of other species, which then raise the young cuckoo as their own.
How does the young cuckoo survive in the nest of another species?
Once hatched, the young cuckoo, often larger and more voracious, ejects the eggs or chicks of its foster parents, thus ensuring it will be the only one to receive food and care.
What is the typical call of the Cuckoo?
The best-known call is the distinctive and melodic « cuckoo » sound emitted by the male, which gives the bird its name. Females have a higher-pitched, trilling call.
What does the Cuckoo eat?
The Cuckoo is insectivorous and feeds mainly on large insects, particularly hairy caterpillars that few other birds consume.
