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Cuckoo | This Bird Lays Eggs In The Nests Of Other Birds
The sweet singing cuckoo is known for its brood parasitic behaviour which means that the female cuckoo lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. This means that the cuckoo never builds its own nest but takes advantage of the nests of other birds. The cuckoo always lays its eggs in the nests of other birds which are built by other birds.
The cuckoo is too lazy to build its own nest so it lays eggs in the nests of other birds. The other bird sits on the eggs in the nest until the eggs hatch. Then it spends its life searching for food and feeding the cuckoo's babies.
The newly born babies of the cuckoo are aggressive and the baby of the cuckoo throws the other eggs out of the nest by pushing them to the side with its back. Due to which the other eggs or even the babies that have hatched from the eggs are thrown out of the nest and die after falling on the ground.
The cuckoo bird has played an important role in human culture for thousands of years and in Greek mythology the cuckoo is sacred to the goddess Hera. For example, in Europe the cuckoo is associated with spring and in Japan this bird is considered a symbol of unrequited love. There are more interesting facts about the cuckoo which you will read further in this article, so read this article completely.
Where Are Cuckoos Found
Cuckoo species live almost all over the world and can be seen mostly in tropical and temperate regions. But cuckoo species are most diverse in the tropical regions of the world. Only two species of cuckoo live in Europe and most are found in Africa, Asia and Australia. Cuckoo birds can be seen in almost any place where trees are present.
Cuckoos mostly prefer to live in coniferous and deciduous forests, grasslands, woodland areas, lowlands, marshlands, bushy plains, shrubs and trees. That is why cuckoos can be seen all over the world except Antarctica. These birds are also found away from very cold or dry areas like northern regions of North America, Australia, Middle East and arid parts of Africa.
Most species of these birds are monogamous in nature. But there are some exceptions to this rule which show that parasitism (laying eggs in the nest of others) is not the only interesting behavior within the cuckoo species. Some species of cuckoos, such as the Guira cuckoo and the Anis cuckoo, build their own nests to lay their eggs in. All members of the group help build the large nest.
They use the nests to raise their young. But like most communal situations in cuckoos, this arrangement is not perfect. Females fight over who can throw other birds' eggs out of the nest and lay their own.
Scientific Name Of Cuckoo
The scientific name of the common cuckoo is Cuculus Canorus and the cuckoo is a medium-sized bird species of the Cuculidae family and the Cuculiformes order which includes roadrunners, European cuckoos and many other species of slender birds. Apart from this, the cuckoo bird belongs to the Aves class. Many cuckoos have special names such as Ani, Guira, Kukal, Kuus and Roadrunner etc.
Apart from this, the bird species of the Neomorphinae subfamily are known as ground cuckoos and this species of cuckoo found all over the world mostly lives on trees. But some of their species, such as the roadrunner cuckoo, spend most of their time on the ground.
The cuckoo bird is considered to be one of the many bird species of the Cuculidae family and the Cuculiformes order. This name refers to about 60 arboreal members of the Phaenicophaeinae and Cuculinae subfamilies. Also in Western Europe the term cuckoo refers to their common local form which is identified as European or common cuckoo elsewhere.
Habitat Of Cuckoo
The habitat of cuckoos is the place where trees are present. Cuckoos are solitary birds which can be seen in groups or pairs in rare cases. These birds are shy birds living in dense vegetation which are heard calling frequently rather than seen. Also some of their species are named so because their call is similar to that of cuckoo.
Common cuckoos are mostly shy birds which lead solitary life but they start making noise during breeding time. Cuckoos are heard singing their songs while claiming their territories and attracting mates. The song of male cuckoo sounds like goo-coo and is mostly sung from open area. Female cuckoos make loud bubbling sound. Also common cuckoos are active during day time and spend many hours searching for food.
How Does A Cuckoo Look Like
The cuckoo is a medium-sized bird that is slender and long in appearance. The cuckoo has a curved beak, pointed wings and a long tail. Male cuckoos are mostly shiny black in color and their eyes are present in red color and the beak is yellow-green. Apart from this, the cuckoo has a long tail and short wings.
The female cuckoo is dark brown in appearance and is more barred and white in color. Their eyes are red in color and the beak is also green. But still there is a difference in appearance between the male and female. Their color is slightly white and dark brown and their beak is light green and the crown is dark brown. Apart from this, the female of the cuckoo species is slightly smaller than the male. Read- Top 32 Interesting Facts About The Peregrine Falcon
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Size And Weight Of The Cuckoo
Cuckoos are medium-sized bird species ranging from about 6 inches long to the small bronze cuckoo or the 25-inch long channel-billed cuckoo. The yellow-billed cuckoo is about 10-12 inches long. Apart from this, it is larger than the cuckoo Gouldian Finch. The weight of the cuckoo varies depending on their species.
The common cuckoo weighs about 110 grams and the greater roadrunner cuckoo weighs about 280 grams. Apart from this, the groove-billed ani weighs about 82 grams, the smooth-billed ani weighs about 110 grams. The white-browed cuckoo weighs about 150 grams.
What Does A Cuckoo Eat
Cuckoos like a fair amount of variety when it comes to their diet. But most of them are insectivorous species. Caterpillars are their favorite food. Cuckoos also like to eat many other insect species that other birds usually avoid. Some species of cuckoos like to eat snakes, lizards, small rodents, fruits and other birds.
Cuckoo Nests
Common Koels start singing early in the year in April and the males sing mostly in groups of 10-20 at intervals of 1-1.5 seconds. They rest for a few seconds between groups and when calling intensely the wings droop and the male wags his tail when a female Koel is around. Common Koels are brood parasites which means they do not build nests but lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.
In one breeding season a female Koel can visit up to 50 nests and will remove one of the host bird's eggs from the nest and then lay her own egg. Common Koel eggs can be speckled or solid depending on the colour of the host bird's egg. The Koel egg hatches after 11-13 days. It is a much larger bird than its hosts and needs to monopolize the food provided by its parents.
The cuckoo chick drives other eggs out of the nest by pushing them to the side with its back. The common cuckoo chick leaves the nest after 2-3 weeks and breeds for the first time at the age of 2 years. Cuckoos are one of the more diverse species of birds and mostly in their breeding system. Most species of cuckoo are monogamous in nature but there are some exceptions.
Among their species, Guira and Anis cuckoo lay their eggs in the nest built by all the members of the group. After that, territorial defense and incubation duties are performed by each member of the group. Also, Anis cuckoo is the one that breeds as a monogamous pair. The eggs of Anis female cuckoo species hatch early in the breeding season.
While among their species, Guira cuckoo can hatch their eggs at any time and Guira cuckoo is not monogamous, it exhibits polygamous breeding system. Also, their group nest building is not completely cooperative and female cuckoos often have to compete and hatch the eggs of others.
Among the cuckoo species, coucal, crow, malkoha, roadrunner and other American cuckoos have to build their own nests. There is a small population of species that participate in parasitism. Most of their species build their nests in bushes or trees but coucal cuckoo prefers to build their nests in low bushes or on the ground and then start laying their eggs in them. Read- Top 35 Interesting Facts About Indian Peacock With Pictures
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How Long Do Cuckoos Live
The lifespan of a cuckoo bird is believed to be around 5 years.
How Fast Can A Cuckoo Fly
A cuckoo bird of the Cuculidae family can fly at a speed of about 30 kilometers per hour while chasing its prey.
How Cuckoos Communicate
Cuckoos are known for their songs and varied calls. Cuckoos are secretive and deceptive birds that use a variety of songs and calls to communicate with other birds of their species. They are also known to use their calls to declare territory or attract a mate.
Cuckoo calls tend to be more consistent within cuckoo species, even across a large geographic range. Because many cuckoo species are communally reared, this suggests that cuckoo calls are innate to the species and not something their young learn from their parents.
How Many Cuckoos Are There In The World
It is estimated that there are about 25-100 million cuckoos worldwide, and the conservation status of the cuckoo species is considered Least Concern according to the IUCN.
Behavior Of Cuckoo
Cuckoo birds are considered dangerous birds because cuckoos, known as brood parasites, depend on others for the upbringing of their children. But this may not seem very dangerous in itself but the way the cuckoo does this is no less than vicious. Apart from this, the female can also kill the eggs and children of others to keep her eggs alive.
The cuckoo's doing this is in a way like viruses, bacteria or diseases whose purpose is to reduce the reproductive success of the host bird by laying eggs in the nest. If the host bird does not accept the cuckoo's egg then it completely destroys the cuckoo's egg. Cuckoo birds are considered wild birds and hence they are not good pet birds. Apart from this, it is illegal to keep them as pets in many places.
Cuckoo Facts For Kids
1. What is the cuckoo bird famous for?
This bird is a guest coming in summer and the cuckoo is known as a brood parasite. Which means that instead of building its own nest, female cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and especially in the nests of meadow pipits, dunnocks and reed warblers.
2. Is the cuckoo a lazy bird?
The cuckoo is a lazy bird because it does not build its own nest but instead lays its eggs in the crow's nest, where the eggs look just like its own.
3. What does cuckoo mean?
The figurative use of cuckoo, which exists as an adjective meaning crazy or weak in intellect or common sense and as a noun for a person who can be described as such. Also may be an allusion to the bird's eponymous call.
4. Does the cuckoo build a nest?
The common cuckoo never builds its own nest and does not raise its own babies. Instead, female cuckoos lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, who raise the cuckoo's babies instead of their own.
5. Is it lucky to see a cuckoo?
There was a time when it was believed that seeing the first cuckoo before the first cuckoo was inauspicious and it was said that the person who hears the sound of the cuckoo is unfortunate.
6. How long does a cuckoo live?
A cuckoo can live for about 5 years in the forest.
7. Is a cuckoo a bad bird?
Other birds are busy doing their work like making nests and raising chicks. But the cuckoo spends all its energy in getting the work done by other birds and in this work, innocent birds die.
8. What is the diet of a cuckoo?
Cuckoos like to eat many other insect species which are mostly avoided by other birds. Some species of cuckoos like to eat snakes, lizards, small rodents, fruits and other birds.
9. Why is the cuckoo called a smart bird?
Cuckoos are master deception birds and when it comes to raising their young, the cuckoo does not need to build a nest, protect its eggs or feed its young. Because the female cuckoo delegates these roles to unsuspecting victims and cuckoos are brood parasites, meaning cuckoos do not raise their own young.
10. Why do birds raise cuckoos?
The cuckoo has a reputation for being a master of deception and koalas scare forest birds out of their nests, then lay their eggs in them which the host then raises. In addition, other birds are tricked into caring for the cuckoo's young.