common cuckoo

bird

Also known as: Cuculus canorus, European cuckoo

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 24, 2026

Quick Summary

The common cuckoo, or European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus), is a bird belonging to the family Cuculidae. While many cuckoos build their own nests and care for their young, the common cuckoo is famous for its practice of brood parasitism. This means the female cuckoo lays her eggs in the nests of other bird species, leaving the foster parents to incubate the eggs and raise the young cuckoo. To increase the chances of survival, cuckoo eggs often mimic the appearance of the host's eggs, and the young cuckoo may even eject the host's own eggs or nestlings from the nest. Cuckoos are found in temperate and tropical regions worldwide, often inhabiting dense vegetation and being more frequently heard than seen.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

cuckoo
…modifiers, refers to the most common local form, elsewhere called the common, or European, cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). Many cuckoos have specialized names, such as ani, coua, coucal, guira, and roadrunner. Members of the subfamily Neomorphinae are called ground cuckoos.
Read More
…modifiers, refers to the most common local form, elsewhere called the common, or European, cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). Many cuckoos have specialized names, such as ani, coua, coucal, guira, and roadrunner. Members of the subfamily Neomorphinae are called ground cuckoos.
Read More

cuculiform
Vocalizations
…clear, two-note call of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) of Europe, Asia, and Africa is uttered by the male alone, the female giving a low bubbling call; apparently in most other species of cuckoos as well, the song is given by the male alone.
Read More
…clear, two-note call of the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) of Europe, Asia, and Africa is uttered by the male alone, the female giving a low bubbling call; apparently in most other species of cuckoos as well, the song is given by the male alone.
Read More