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When did cuckoos first appear in the fossil record?

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Cuculiform Body plans of representative Cuculiformes.

Cuckoos appear to have been present in the fossil record by the early Paleogene Period, approximately 60 million years ago.1

While the order Cuculiformes is not well represented in the fossil record, this is attributed to the group's preference for forest habitats; woodland birds are generally less frequently fossilized than those inhabiting aquatic or open environments.1