Common Cuckoo
OrderCuculiformes
FamilyCuculidae
HabitatVaried
RangeEurope, Asia
Length33 cm
Wingspan58 cm
Weight120 g
DietInsectivore
About the Common Cuckoo
The infamous brood parasite, laying eggs in the nests of small songbirds. Chicks eject host eggs and dominate the nest, fed by foster parents twice their size. The cuckoo call marks spring across Europe. Hairy caterpillars toxic to most birds form much of the diet.