Piotr Krzeslak – stock.adobe.com
Indispensable in our landscape, gray cuckoo, easy to recognize, other birds are afraid. Habitat, song, nest and migration: everything you need to know about this atypical bird.
The harbinger of spring, the cuckoo nevertheless has a reproductive technique that can sow discord in its nests. But it can also be very useful for gardeners, especially if pine trees are planted. Discover the unusual behavior and characteristics of this bird.
What is a gray cuckoo?
“Grey Cuckoo” is a popular name Cuculus canorus, a migratory bird easily seen in France and the rest of Europe. They usually measure 35 cm in height and around 60 cm in wingspan, which is about the size of a hawk or small hawk. An insectivore, it feeds mainly on caterpillars, grasshoppers and even dragonflies. The fact that it eats caterpillars makes it a great ally for the natural elimination of pests present in vegetable gardens.
How to recognize a gray cuckoo?
The first element that makes it possible to recognize a gray cuckoo is its singing characteristic. It is carried out in two stages and can evoke the sound made by the wooden clock of the same name when the time changes. In addition, hearing the song of a gray cuckoo is often considered a sign of luck or good fortune.
The second element that allows this bird to be easily distinguished is its feather. Males can be recognized by their gray belly covered with small dark stripes. As for their wings, they are brown. Finally, it is easy to observe gray cuckoos on high points. They can be placed on wooden posts or high branches.
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Where does the gray cuckoo live?
The gray cuckoo lives in two main regions of the world depending on the season. It spends the winter in the warmth of the southern part of the African continent. In the spring, however, it returns to nest all over the European continent. It is also an easy bird to observe in the French countryside. However, it does not prefer its habitat. It usually occupies a place where it can find the nests of other birds. In fact, it can be observed both in the countryside and in gardens or even in the forest. In some cases it is even possible to see gray cuckoos flying in the mountains up to 2000 meters above sea level.
How does a gray cuckoo behave?
The gray cuckoo’s attitude to breeding can be surprising in many ways. First, birds are polygamous and separate immediately after mating. But it is after this crucial stage that the true nature of the female cuckoo is revealed. Inconspicuously observes the nests of various birds: robin, warbler, warbler, etc. Then, when both parents move away from the nest, the female cuckoo settles there, throws out the already installed egg and lays her own. Then she leaves the other birds to take care of the future little cuckoo from hatching to flight.
Once the cuckoo is born, it sheds the other eggs to be cared for mainly by the adoptive mother.