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Common CuckooAlternate name(s): "Cuckoo", "European Cuckoo" ![]() Size: 32-36 cm; wing span 54-60 cm Weight: 70-160 g (male 130 g average; female 110 g average) |
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Photos |
Race "canorus"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Frontal view of a male Common Cuckoo; note the solid-grey chest
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]
Near-lateral view of a Common Cuckoo (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]
Lateral view of a Common Cuckoo (photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]
Race "bangsi"
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ADULT |
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FEMALE |
Grey morphology
Frontal view of a female Common Cuckoo; note the brownish
barring on the upper chest
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]
Near-dorsal view of a female Common Cuckoo
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Common Cuckoo in flight;
the rufous tinges may suggest that this is a female
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Moita do Ribatejo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]
Near-dorsal/ventral view of a Common Cuckoo in flight;
the rufous tinges may suggest that this is a female
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Moita do Ribatejo, Tejo estuary, Portugal, April 2019]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Dorsal view of a juvenile Common Cuckoo in flight, wings down;
note the white patch at the nape of the neck
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Portugal, August 2019]
Dorsal view of a juvenile Common Cuckoo in flight, wings up
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Portugal, August 2019]
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Food, Diet |
Common Cuckoos feed on various types of insects. The photos below show that Common Cuckoos have a liking for hairy caterpillars.
Lateral view of a male Common Cuckoo that has caught a caterpillar
(photo courtesy of D. Wilczynska)
[Near Ostrow Mazowiecka, Masovia, Poland, May 2016]
Female Common Cuckoo beating to death a caterpillar
(photo courtesy of J. Pires)
[Mora, Evora, Portugal, May 2013]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
cuckoo_dw_20160503.m4a |
canorus (Poland) |
Contact calls (male) | © DW | |
cuckoo_jp_20200418_2.m4a |
bangsi (Portugal) |
Contact calls (male) | © JP | |
cuckoo_jp_20200418.m4a |
bangsi (Portugal) |
Contact calls (male) | © JP |
More Common Cuckoo sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.