Young cuckoo

[BettyB]

My neighbour 'phoned yesterday AM and told me to look out of my window without opening it.

There was an enormous baby bird ( size of ring dove ) being fed by a small brown bird ( sparrow size ). Has to be a cuckoo ??

It returned twice more yesterday and again this AM and was again fed by same small "mother".

We did briefly hear a cuckoo in May.

The baby reminded me of some reception class children I've taught who just stand with their arms extended waiting for me to dress them!

[htcdude]

Definately a Cuckoo yes. Parents laid their egg into the smaller birds nest, and even though the Cuckoo is a lot bigger the host birds still think it's their chick and so have to feed it

Nige

[werdnal]

Sorry if this is hyjacking the thread, but when would the young cuckoo leave for migration? I assume the adults are well on their way by now, but if this one if still dependant on adult foster parent for food, when it is likely to move on?

[htcdude]

Youngsters will hang around until August.

Nige

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by werdnal

Sorry if this is hyjacking the thread, but when would the young cuckoo leave for migration? I assume the adults are well on their way by now, but if this one if still dependant on adult foster parent for food, when it is likely to move on?

Adults hang around till approximately late June-July and fledged youngsters typically a month after fledging. This depends, of course, on the pertaining conditions, climatic etc. Set in stone, it is not.

[aeshna5]

Some juvenile Cuckoos are still around as late as September.

[BettyB]

Glad to hear our cuckoo has not been left behind for the Winter. We WERE wondering.S/he looks a good doer; the kind you'd rather feed for a week than a fortnight.

Relieved that I am not seeing things.

I STILL think our nightingales ARE nightingales.

[King Edward]

The 'parent' birds are most likely Dunnocks, being one of the main Cuckoo host species and common in gardens.

[Jackaroo]

Originally Posted by BettyB

I STILL think our nightingales ARE nightingales.

That's cool, I'd rather have the Cuckoo personally. I've never seen one.

[BettyB]

Jacharoo. We've lived here for 43 years and only ever seen the occasional cuckoo flying over. Would have missed this one without observant neighbour keen to share his good luck.