© Photo by Dean Eades Cuckoo Cuculus canorus The cuckoo is a summer visitor to Britain, arriving from Africa in late March and April. They are famous for laying their eggs in other birds’ nests, fooling them into raising their young. Dunnocks, meadow pipits and reed warblers are common victims of this. © Photo by Joshua Copping Young cuckoo chicks grow much bigger than their unsuspecting foster parents and will often push any other eggs out of the nest. Young and adult cuckoos like to eat all kinds of insects, but hairy caterpillars are their favourites! How to Identify Cuckoos are sometimes mistaken for sparrowhawks due to their markings: blue-grey backs and heads, with striped, dark grey and white undersides. They have long tails and pointed wings and a hawk-like shape in flight. Where to find Considered to be an early sign of spring, the song of the cuckoo sounds the same as its name: ‘cuck-oo’. It can be heard in woodlands and grasslands. Cuckoos famously lay their eggs in the nests of other birds. How People Can Help The Wildlife Trusts are working with farmers and landowners to promote wildlife-friendly practices. We are working towards a ‘Living Landscape’: a network of habitats and wildlife corridors across town and country which are good for both wildlife and people. You can support this greener vision for the future by joining your local Wildlife Trust. Did you know? Young cuckoos often grow much bigger than their host parents, so they require a lot more food and attention than the host’s rightful chicks. To this end, they will push their host’s eggs or chicks out of the nest. Key FactsLength: 32-34cmWingspan: 58cmWeight: 110-130g Donate Donate to help support Cuckoos and other wildlife. Donate Similar Species Barn Owl Birds Black-Headed Gull Birds Blackbird Birds Blackcap Birds Blue Tit Birds Bullfinch Birds Buzzard Birds Canada Goose Birds Carrion Crow Birds Chaffinch Birds Chiffchaff Birds Coal Tit Birds Collared Dove Birds Coot Birds Crossbill Birds Curlew Birds Dipper Birds Dunnock Birds Fieldfare Birds Goldcrest Birds Golden Plover Birds Goldfinch Birds Goosander Birds Great Spotted Woodpecker Birds Great Tit Birds Greenfinch Birds Grey Heron Birds Grey Wagtail Birds Hen Harrier Birds Herring Gull Birds House Sparrow Birds Jackdaw Birds Jay Birds Kestrel Birds Kingfisher Birds Lapwing Birds Linnet Birds Little Egret Birds Little Grebe Birds Long-Tailed Tit Birds Magpie Birds Mallard Birds Mandarin Duck Birds Meadow Pipit Birds Merlin Birds Mistle Thrush Birds Moorhen Birds Nightjar Birds Nuthatch Birds Peregrine falcon Birds Redwing Birds Robin Birds Rook Birds Siskin Birds Skylark Birds Snipe Birds Song Thrush Birds Sparrowhawk Birds Starling Birds Swallow Birds Swift Birds Tawny owl Birds Tree Sparrow Birds Treecreeper Birds Waxwing Birds Wheatear Birds Whitethroat Birds Willow Warbler Birds Wood Pigeon Birds Wood Warbler Birds Wren Birds