Common Cuckoo
Common CuckooCommon CuckooCommon CuckooCommon Cuckoo

Common Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
10–20% · With luck
overall probability at Cairngorms National Park
411 Verified records at Cairngorms National Park
May Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

The cuckoo, common cuckoo, European cuckoo or Eurasian cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, Cuculiformes, which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. It is a brood parasite, which means it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly of dunnocks, meadow pipits, and reed warblers. Although its eggs are larger than those of its hosts, the eggs in each type of host nest resemble the host's eggs. The adult too is a mimic, in its case of the sparrowhawk; since that species is a predator, the mimicry gives the female time to lay her eggs without being attacked. Wikipedia →

10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Common Cuckoo sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 411 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
<5
Feb
<5
Mar
5–10
Apr
40–50
May
20–30
Jun
<5
Jul
<5
Aug
<5
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Białowieża National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
40–50%
2 Biebrza National Park 🇵🇱 Poland
30–40%
3 Fertő-Hanság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
30–40%
4 Hortobágy National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
30–40%
5 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
6 Nikko National Park 🇯🇵 Japan
20–30%
7 Mercantour National Park 🇫🇷 France
20–30%
8 Kiskunság National Park 🇭🇺 Hungary
20–30%
9 Cévennes National Park 🇫🇷 France
20–30%
10 Jiuzhaigou National Park 🇨🇳 China
20–30%
11 Bavarian Forest National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
20–30%
12 Monfragüe National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
10–20%
13 Cairngorms National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
10–20%
14 Aigüestortes National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
10–20%
15 Sierra de Guadarrama National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
10–20%
16 Langtang National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
10–20%
17 Pyrénées National Park 🇫🇷 France
10–20%
18 Hemis National Park 🇮🇳 India
10–20%
19 Triglav National Park 🇸🇮 Slovenia
10–20%
20 Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
21 Wadden Sea National Park 🇩🇪 Germany
5–10%
22 Doñana National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
23 Tatra National Park 🇸🇰 Slovakia
5–10%
24 Bandhavgarh National Park 🇮🇳 India
5–10%
25 Snowdonia National Park 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
5–10%
26 Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park 🇲🇳 Mongolia
5–10%
27 Gauja National Park 🇱🇻 Latvia
5–10%
28 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
29 Khangchendzonga National Park 🇮🇳 India
5–10%
30 Picos de Europa National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
5–10%
31 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
32 Sundarbans National Park 🇮🇳 India
5–10%
33 Royal Bardia National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
34 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Sierra Nevada National Park 🇪🇸 Spain
<5%
36 Royal Manas National Park 🇧🇹 Bhutan
<5%
37 Jim Corbett National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
38 Table Mountain National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
39 Kanha National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
40 Ranthambore National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
41 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
42 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
43 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
44 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
<5%
45 Chitwan National Park 🇳🇵 Nepal
<5%
46 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
47 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
48 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
49 Semuliki National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
50 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
51 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
52 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
53 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
54 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
55 Kaziranga National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
56 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
57 Satpura National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
58 Keoladeo National Park 🇮🇳 India
<5%
59 Bwindi Impenetrable National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
60 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
<5%
61 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
62 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
63 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
64 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
65 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
66 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
67 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
68 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
Insufficient data
69 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
70 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
Insufficient data
71 Bandipur National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
72 Mudumalai National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
73 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
Insufficient data
74 Periyar National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
75 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data
76 Cat Tien National Park 🇻🇳 Vietnam
Insufficient data
77 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
78 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
79 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
Insufficient data
80 Namdapha National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
81 Nagarhole National Park 🇮🇳 India
Insufficient data
82 Volcanoes National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
83 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data
84 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Common Cuckoo in Cairngorms National Park?

About 16% of wildlife watchers report a Common Cuckoo sighting in Cairngorms National Park, based on 411 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Common Cuckoo in Cairngorms National Park?

May has the highest sighting rate for Common Cuckoo in Cairngorms National Park in our monthly data.

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