Common Cuckoo: Song & calls

  • The male: the classic two-note "ko-ko", where the second note is lower. Heard in May–June, most intensely early in the morning.
  • The female: a gurgling, bubbling "kwikkwikkwikkwik" — quite different and often overlooked.
  • In flight: the Common Cuckoo flies with pointed wings and a flat tail — recalling a Eurasian Sparrowhawk.
  • Song period: the male often falls silent after midsummer.

Recordings can be found on xeno-canto and Artportalen (the Swedish species observation system).

More about the Common Cuckoo

  • Breeding
  • Nest & eggs
  • Diet
  • In winter
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