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Cuckoo Cuculus canorus - Young being fed by Dunnock. L 33-35cm. Secretive summer visitor with intriguing lifestyle. Heard more than seen. Recalls a Sparrowhawk in flight. Feeds mainly on hairy caterpillars. Sexes sometimes separable. Adult male, and most females have blue-grey head, neck and upperparts; underparts are white and barred. Some adult females are brown and barred on head, neck and upperparts; underparts are white with dark bars. Juvenile is similar to brown adult female but with white nape. Voice Male utters distinctive cuck-oo song; female has bubbling call. Status Local summer visitor. Range dictated by occurrence of songbirds used for nest parasitism; host species include Meadow Pipit, Dunnock and Reed Warbler.
Copyright
ROGER TIDMAN/Nature Photographers Ltd
Image Size
3543x2386 / 5.0MB
www.naturephotographers.co.uk
Contained in galleries
BIRDS
Cuckoo Cuculus canorus - Young being fed by Dunnock. L 33-35cm. Secretive summer visitor with intriguing lifestyle. Heard more than seen. Recalls a Sparrowhawk in flight. Feeds mainly on hairy caterpillars. Sexes sometimes separable. Adult male, and most females have blue-grey head, neck and upperparts; underparts are white and barred. Some adult females are brown and barred on head, neck and upperparts; underparts are white with dark bars. Juvenile is similar to brown adult female but with white nape. Voice Male utters distinctive cuck-oo song; female has bubbling call. Status Local summer visitor. Range dictated by occurrence of songbirds used for nest parasitism; host species include Meadow Pipit, Dunnock and Reed Warbler.