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Cuckoo Cuculus canorus   [Linnaeus, 1758]
Other Names Trends & Distribution Breeding & Survival Biometrics Books & Links

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Order: Cuculiformes Family: Cuculidae
BTO Codes: CK, CUCKO EURING No: 7240
Number in Britain: 14 thousand pairs (Summer)
Conservation Status:
UK: RED
European: Not a species of concern
Global: Least Concern ( Details )
Links to: Images   Videos   Sound  
Status in UK: (A)  Migrant Breeder, Passage Visitor
Subspecies: canorus recorded in Britain (of 4 subsp. in the world)
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Length: 33 cm Wingspan: 58 cm Weight: M: 130 g   F: 110 g    
Scientific name from: L.: cuculus=the cuckoo and L.: canorus=melodius (from canere=to sing)
World Distribution: BREEDS: Europe, Asia, n Africa, WINTERS: south to s Africa, s Asia
Habitat: Open woodland, taiga, steppe forest
Diet: Insects, esp. large, hairy caterpillars avoided by others and beetles
TitBit: Females lay their eggs in the nest of the species which raised them (Dunnock, Reed Warbler and Meadow Pipit are current favoured 'hosts'). A single female may visit up to 50 nests each year.  

Population and Distribution

Population Trend: Wider Countryside Report
Regional Trends: Scotland   Wales   England   English Regions
Distribution: Atlas Maps    (Local Atlases)    BBS Maps
British Population Size:
    Summer: 9600 to 19 thousand pairs in 2000
    First Record: 7th Century
    Conservation Status: RED because Recent Breeding Population Decline,
   Previous Assessments: 2002-2007 AMBER     1996-2001 GREEN  
   Races of Concern: canorus RED (Recent Decline)
Habitat Occupancy (in the Breeding Season):
    Common in: Reedbed
    Also found in: Scrub, Marsh
Relative Frequency in Each Habitat:
Average Day of First Arrival: 19 Apr
European Population Size:
    Summer: 1.7 to 3.6 million pairs   (Trend in Numbers)
Population Assesment from Birds in Europe
Distribution in Europe
Listed on the Appendices/Schedules of: Bern(III)
Survey Results: BirdTrack

Breeding and Survival
Egg Size: 22 x 17 mm Egg Weight: 3.2 g (of which 7 % is shell)
Number of Nest Records: 26
Clutch Size: 1 - 25 eggs
Incubation: 11- 13 days   by the: Host
Fledging: 17 - 21days as: Altricial, naked
First Clutches Laid: Unavailable
Number of Broods: 1-25
Trends in Breeding Productivity
Number Ringed: 62 (Annual Totals)
Adult Survival: No data
Juvenile Survival: No data
Age at First Breeding: 2 years Typical Lifespan: No data
Maximum Recorded Age: 6 years 11 months 2 days (set in 1983)
Summary of Ringing Recoveries       

Biometrics
Ring Size: D
Wing Length Adult: 218.2 ± 8.1 Range 207 - 232 mm, N =144
Juvenile: 198.8 ± 13.9 169 - 218 mm, N =105
Male: 222.3 ± 7.0 210 - 234 mm, N =85
Female: 211.9 ± 5.2 204 - 221 mm, N =52
Weight Adult: 114.3 ± 15.69 Range 93.00 - 143.0 g , N =119
Juvenile: 92.10 ± 14.64 70.50 - 121.0 g , N =99
Male: 119.9 ± 13.82 98.00 - 143.0 g , N =68
Female: 107.2 ± 15.55 86.00 - 130.5 g , N =46
Source:
British Trust for Ornithology (2005) Ringing Scheme data

Other Names
Common Cuckoo
Gaelic: Cuthag Welsh: Cog
Danish: Gøg Dutch: Koekoek
Finnish: Käki French: Coucou gris
German: Kuckuck Hungarian: Kakukk
Icelandic: Gaukur Irish: Cuach
Italian: Cuculo Norwegian: Gjøk
Polish: Kukulka zwyczajna Portuguese: Cuco-canoro
Spanish: Cuco Swedish: Gök
Local Names:Gowk

For More Information...
Books and Monographs:
   Wyllie, I. 1981 The cuckoo Batsford, London [598.642 WYL]
   Payne, R.B. 2005 The Cuckoos Oxford University Press [598.62 PAY]
   Rothschild, M. 1952 Fleas, flukes and cuckoos Collins, London [591.1 ROT]
See Also:
Find scientific papers on Google Scholar or Scirus by clicking the icon
Wikipedia entry
BirdLife species page
Recent sightings and information from BirdGuides
State of the Nations Birds by Chris Mead