Size: body length is 32-34 cm, if measured from tip of bill to tip of tail, tail length is 13-15 cm, wingspan is 55-65 cm, weight is 105-130 g. Vocalisations: The male's song sounds like 'goo-ko' and is usually given from an open perch. The female has a loud bubbling call.

Habitat: Cuckoos are found in deciduous forests, spruce forests, scrub, cemeteries, parks, gardens and near water bodies. They are constantly moving from one place to another as they are one of the few birds that do not breed.

Behaviour: The cuckoo feeds on large insects, including hairy caterpillars. In Latvia, the cuckoo feeds on forest pests such as hairy caterpillars. On rare occasions, the cuckoo destroys the nests of other birds by eating eggs or chicks. They lay their eggs in the nests of other bird species, where they are then hatched by other birds. Each female cuckoo lays eggs in the nests of certain bird species, and the colour of the eggs varies accordingly. At an opportune moment, a female cuckoo will land on a nest she has spotted, push one egg out into the field and lay her own egg in its place, after which she will fly away. After hatching, the blind, still unhatched chick instinctively starts to perch on its back and throw everything out of the nest, leaving it the only bird in the nest to be cared for.

Interesting facts: Why do cuckoos lay eggs in other birds’ nests? Ornithologists believe it is because it cannot hatch and feed its chicks – the cuckoo lays up to 10 eggs per nesting season! It will be physically impossible for the cuckoo to raise and feed all her offspring, so she has to hand over the care of her offspring to other birds. The cuckoo always knows who should hatch first: her chick or the chicks of the nest where she leaves her egg. If her chick has a longer incubation period, she destroys all the eggs, leaving her chick as the sole occupant of the nest. There are various Latvian beliefs associated with the cuckoo's cuckoo, for example, the first time you hear a cuckoo in spring, you must have money in your pocket, otherwise you will have no money all year round. The cuckoo clock appeared in Germany in the 16th century. They quickly gained popularity and appeared in almost every home.

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