Common cuckoo - description, habitat

It is hard to imagine Russian forests without a wonderful sonorous bird singing. It is even more difficult to imagine a walk among trees and greenery without a crowing sounding in the distance. These sounds are made by the cuckoo. It seems to be an ordinary bird that does not stand out from the rest, but not much is known about it, since it lends itself to study difficult. What do people know about the cuckoo?

The common cuckoo is distributed practically throughout the entire Russian territory, but few were able to contemplate it. Everyone who heard it publishes a cookie, and few have ever seen this bird alive.

The body length is up to 38 centimeters, the tail is small - 13-19 centimeters, the wingspan reaches 55-57 centimeters. Body weight is very small - approximately 130-135 grams. The legs are not long, but rather strong. Males differ from females in color and appearance.

1. Females. The plumage is reddish or gray-brown. Black stripes run along the back and head. The feathers are edged with a white border. The chest and head are painted in pale gray with thin black stripes.
2. Males. Back with a tail of a dark gray color. The chest is gray, the head is the same color. The rest of the plumage is light with stripes of dark shades running along it. The beak is dark, and the legs are yellow.

Habitat

The distribution of common cuckoo is very wide. It is abundant in European countries, inhabits Africa, Asian territory.

In Russia, he lives almost everywhere except the tundra. For living, he chooses a forest zone, where he settles on the edges and glades near the clearings, likes to nest in thickets near reservoirs and rivers.

Breeding

As soon as March comes, cuckoos return from the southern regions back to their native places - to Asian and European countries. Males select and occupy large areas of several hectares. In female cuckoos, the area is less than -1-2 hectares, it is important for them that there were nests of birds of other species nearby. The male, flying around the territory, from time to time visits the ladies.

The cuckoo does not build nests and does not howl them, but carefully watches the life of other birds. Say for species from the passerine family. He does this in order to choose teachers for his children. Everyone knows that the cuckoo throws eggs into other people's nests.

Unusual habits

A female cuckoo organizes an ambush and, taking the necessary precautions, looks out for a suitable nest for business. At the right time, lays his egg there for several seconds. Scientists believe that at the same time, an uninvited tenant throws out one alien egg, although it is not clear - why? After all, birds are completely not endowed with nature by the ability to count, therefore - the hostess of the nest will not be able to find out that there is more by one egg.

There is another opinion, how the cuckoo manages to throw its eggs into other people's nests. The color and plumage of the male is a bit like the plumage of a hawk. Taking advantage of this, he flies over the nest, makes several circles, the owners begin to panic and hide in fear in the foliage or in the grass, leaving the masonry unattended for several seconds. This time is enough for the female to throw another's egg and lay her own. Returning hosts see whole eggs and continue to hatch.

How the chicks survive

The cuckoo, for the most part, hatches a day or two earlier than the rest of the chicks.He has enough of this time for acclimatization in a strange nest. He is still blind and naked, but the instinct of throwing is already well developed. The chick throws out of the nest everything that concerns its bare sensitive back - first of all, eggs and other chicks. Most active in the absence of foster parents, when they are absent for food. At this time, “consolidated” small relatives lose their mobility due to the lack of maternal heat. The cuckoo spreads its legs as wide as possible and makes an attempt to crawl under the chick or testicle. If the attempt succeeds, the cuckoo makes a few thrusts, moving the victim to a concave back. Then he backs away to the edge of the nest, rises on the legs and throws the contents of the back out. Instinct does not last long - 4 days, so the cuckoo is in a hurry. And he completely succeeds. The surviving roommates selects food brought by caring parents.

Why don't the nest owners see the hype?

The strangest thing is that the owners of the nest consider what is happening quite normal and make great efforts to feed the only baby in the nest. Not seeing that the chick is a stranger. Why is that?

Recently found out the reason why birds behave so strange and unusual. It turned out that the yellow color of the open mouth and the red color of the pharynx are a very powerful signal for adult birds, forcing non-parents to carry food to an already grown chick. Even alien birds that were nearby react to this signal - they give food intended for their children.

By the way, the cuckoo is fed for a long time - even after he got on the wing, parents continue to supply the step-child with food for another month and a half.

The cuckoo, as a rule, throws eggs to feathery small breeds. Such as robins, foams, flytraps. Externally, the testicles look the same as the masonry laid by the parents - both in shape and color. However, there are species that plant them in crow's nests or jackdaws. And interestingly, they manage to lay eggs as large as theirs.

The benefits of cuckoo

On the one hand, this bird contributes to the death of chicks in useful and necessary birds. On the other, the common cuckoo is very voracious. And since it feeds mainly on caterpillars, insects and worms, it helps to cleanse nature from pests. In addition, it can eat poisonous insects, which other inhabitants of the bird kingdom do not eat. One of the few who eat hairy poisonous caterpillars.

Wintering

Cuckoos belong to migratory birds. In late autumn, with the onset of cold weather, they are sent to warm regions - to southern Africa, to warm China, Indochina, Sri Lanka, to the southern extremities of the Arabian Peninsula.

The most interesting thing is that no one has ever seen cuckoo flocks flying away for the winter - they probably fly alone. They return home in late March - early April.

Interesting Facts

1. The life span of a common cuckoo is 9-11 years. But there are cases that some of them lived for a long time - 35, and sometimes - 40 years.
2. At one time, the female can lay 20 pieces of eggs and it takes less than a minute.
3. Cuckoos are excellent tireless flyers. During flights to the winter and back, the flock can travel 3500 thousand kilometers without stopping to rest.
4. Of every five eggs thrown into other people's nests, only one chick is hatched and survives.
5. The cuckoo tosses into the nest always only one egg each. After all, if there are two of them, then the gluttonous cuckoos will “eat together” each other, and one of them (or even both) will die of starvation. Either a stronger opponent will simply throw a fellow out of the nest.
6. Many believe that the cuckoo throws eggs only into other people's nests - in reality, it often visits other people's hollows and rushes there. More precisely, the egg lays somewhere nearby, and then takes the egg into the beak and transfers it.
7. The Japanese consider the cuckoo as a traveler to the world of the dead. According to the beliefs of the people of this country, coking foreshadows trouble - either a big fire, or the onset of pestilence.
8. In other countries, on the contrary: cuckoo singing promises a good successful marriage, a fruitful year and many years of life. It is believed - cuckoo singing means the coming of spring.
9. The Scots call the first April day not a day of fools, but a cuckoo day.
10. The cuckoo is not afraid of scorpion bites - scorpion poison has absolutely no effect on the bird and does no harm.

Cuckoos, being secretive creatures, lead a rather silent way of life. They cook only during the mating season. It is curious that only males sing - it is they that are heard in the forest oak. With their relentless cuckoo, they call the female, inviting her to mate. The voice of the females makes sounds, more like something in between a trill, a frog croaking and laughter.

Video: common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)