Europese Koekoek (Pyrenees' Biodiversity)

Europese Koekoek

Cuculus canorus

Summary ⁶

The Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) (formerly European Cuckoo) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals.

Taxon biology ⁷

Many people know that the cuckoo doesn't breed its own eggs. The female lays her eggs in the nest of other species, often times the meadow pipit, dunnock, sedge warbler, wagtail or the common redstart. These small birds brood the eggs and take care of the young cuckoos, which don't take long to grow bigger than their foster parents. Should they have any foster sisters or brothers, the cuckoo makes sure that they disappear. Adult cuckoos migrate to their winter homes starting in June. The young leave in August to tropical Africa. They have to figure out the route by themselves since they have never even seen their true parents. Cuckoos eat caterpillars. Even the hairy caterpillars which other birds avoid are eaten by the cuckoo. They merely spit out the hairs as a pellet. Furthermore, the bird gladly eats other insects such as beetles.