CUCKOO

3rd May 2024

Photo Credit: Leopardinatree (Getty Images), CANVA

QUOTATION

He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo. By his bad voice.

PORTIA: Merchant of Venice, Act 5, Scene 2

CUCKOO (Cuculus canorus)

Portia demonstrates one of the key features of interaction with Cuckoos, that they are often heard rather than seen. Shakespeare uses other well known Cuckoo facts in his metaphors, namely that Cuckoos lay their eggs in other birds nests.

Cuckoos are birds about the size of a dove with a blue grey back and a stripy white front. They are migratory birds who overwinter in Central Africa and return to the UK in late April or May to breed. The adults can return to Africa as early as June. Cuckoo numbers have declined in the UK, especially southern England in recent decades and they are a priority conservation bird species in the UK. The British Trust for Ornithology coordinate the Cuckoo tracking project which tracks the birds migration from Africa each year.

More Information

British Trust for Ornithology BTO: Cuckoo, Cuckoo Tracking

Folger Shakespeare: Search Shakespeare’s Works

RSPB: Cuckoo