Cuckoo

Cuckoos are on the Red List of British Birds due to their steep decline in much of the country.

Cuckoos are named for the sounds they make. They are more often heard than seen. There are more than 125 different types of cuckoos found throughout the world.

The cuckoo is a summer visitor to the UK, arriving in around April and leaving by the end of June. Cuckoos are brood parasites and lay their eggs in the nests of other birds and allow the host birds to incubate and feed their young. The main hosts in the UK are the Dunnock, Meadow Pipit, Pied Wagtail and Reed Warbler

In the UK, we have lost over three-quarters of the UK Cuckoo population since the 1980s. There is a continuing strong decline in England, while in Scotland a moderate increase has occurred.

Loss of natural habitat and scarcer insect food are likely to have played a part, but cuckoos are now also facing increasing problems on migration to Africa. The Sahara Desert is the largest barrier the Cuckoos face on their migration route. They need to put on enough weight before the Sahara crossing. The loss of habitat of known stopover and breeding sites in Europe and Africa make the crossing increasingly more difficult.

What can you do to help the Cuckoo

Write to our local MP, Danny Chambers, tell him how important nature recovery is to you.  Tell him to continue to support and promote the Climate and Nature Bill, this landmark bill aims to reverse the damage done to nature like the Cuckoo.  Click here to send Danny a secure message.