Common Cuckoo (Cuculus canorus)
It is in the same family group as the roadrunners, the anis (better get the spelling of this one right) and the coucals. I recently did a post on the coucals and as a reminder or if you want to go and have a look here’s a link. (CLICK HERE, NOT THERE HERE) But I did another on the same bird that I found in the city where it shouldn’t be, if you want to look at that one CLICK HERE..
Now this one I know you all have them.. with an estimated population all over of 26 000 000 you must have seen one.. anyway here’s a few photos of one I managed to sneak up on… (do you know how difficult that is at my age and size??)
The Photographic Journey of bulldog. 
A very pretty bird, BD, with lovely little feathered feet and quite a confident demeanor!
Thank you.. it was a great capture for me to get up so close to what is a very shy bird..to be able to share its looks…
You know how to charm the birds!
If only I’d have known that years ago…
It looks like your sneaking up skills are way up there with the pros! Great photos. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one of these birds.
I must admit I’ve seen a lot.. only just close enough to ID them through binocs.. but this one just leant himself for a creeping Bulldog to approach… very proud of myself on these
I am a bit behind in checking the blogs I follow…Nice set of pictures of this lovely bird! Will catch-up on your older posts later!
Thank you for the visit and comment… don’t miss the interview I did which is reblogged to my blog…
Magnificent – so much better than any of my efforts. I wish we had your light here, all my best shots were taken very early one morning with sea mist to spoil everything.
The best time for photos for us, is that early morning, clear yellowy light. that just gives the taking of photos such a special look..
I actually didn’t realise roadrunners were real birds (I just thought they were all to do with the cartoon!) until I saw a documentary about them (then I was a little embarrassed…)
This cuckoo looks very cocky indeed! 😀
I agree.. has that attitude of you won’t catch me, like the road runner… ‘cept this time I did…
He looks – well, a bit cuckoo, actually! 🙂
Actually I thought he looked a little cocky…
That’s an awful lot of cuckoos. 🙂 What beautiful birds. I had no idea. He looks so naughty in that last pic. 🙂
Thank you.. a catch I really enjoyed…
Good Photos Rob, and good stealth for getting so close – definitely worth the effort.
Thank you Brian… yes of these I’m proud… never managed to get so close to this bird before…
What an unusual bird! It looks like he’s wearing pantaloons with ruffles. I guess for you they’re common, but I have never seen one! Or a bird even closely related…except you say it’s related to the road runner, and that I’ve seen! 🙂
I have seen many and often.. the problem is getting up close… they are very shy.. this one must of liked me…
Really interesting information and the photos are absolutely amazing.
Thank you so much…
Coucal ? ~ or easier to say Cuckoo Bird!! Do they sound just like the cuckoo clocks?? xo
Never heard this one call but I believe it is very similar… they only call when they move north..
I love these – especially that last shot – you always get the best facial expressions on these animals BD… so adorable this Coucal bird!! 🙂 Sending Love ~ rl
Thank you Robyn.. it was a special bird to capture… being shy one does not always get up so close.. I was very proud of this capture…
aww sweet! I’ve never seen a real one so I appreciate these photos. The only one I’ve ever seen was in my dad’s annoying Cuckoo clock!
The one in the clock is probably seen more by all than this shy bird… it was a lucky capture…
Way to go, it’s a cutie for sure!
Great photos, really pretty bird!
Thank you so much..
He is adorable … look at those bloomers!!! Love the chest feathers, such a wonderful pattern … and his shades of grey is stunning. Truly a shower … he like the attention he is getting. That spotted tail is … so wonderful. What a cute and wonderful bird … thank you so much for sharing.
That expression he has on that last photo … Who are you coming here ??? Thank you so much.
Thank you Viveka.. it was a special capture as they are fairly shy birds… just didn’t want to brag about the capture…
You did a fantastic job, they are so pretty and cute … love their bloomers. Nothing wrong with bragging …. go on.
Great photo’s! Beautiful bird, is the Cuckoo on the ground a youngster?
No adults.. thank you for the complement..
I get called that a lot (Cuckoo) and yet I see absolutely no resemblance between me and that beautiful bird. So what do you think they’re trying to say? 🙂
Maybe you have a different voice??
Your crawling techniques are improving, Bulldog. have you been taking yoga classes?
No.. no yoga… but for a bird capture that is not caught by all and sundry it is worth getting down and dirty… just seems so difficult at this age…
You gotta love a bird with baggy pants… 🙂
How right you are… but he’s only here in summer so seems wasted…
Leave it to Mother Nature to be so ironic! 🙂
To us the parasitic habits of some birds are repulsive but it is Nature. What I find so fascinating is that the host bird will do everything to prevent the cuckoo from laying in her nest but will nevertheless take care of the chick when it hatches, although she clearly knows it’s not her own child. That, I think, is a lesson to us. We are not the only species who will look after somebody else’s offspring. The common cuckoo is not really common in South Africa. It is also a shy bird so you were lucky to see it so beautifully. It is a non-breeding visitor from October to April. It is also silent when here, as it is not trying to attract a mate. In Europe its call is exactly like that of a cuckoo clock:-) One of our more common cuckoos is the Red Chested cuckoo (Piet-my-vrou) which is often heard but seldom seen – they hide amongst the foliage. More often seen are the Klaas’s, Diederick, Levaillant’s and Jacobin. I have never seen a common cuckoo before and I am an avid birder. I am quite jealous of this super sighing, Bulldog.
Thank you… I saw the bird from far on the ground.. not realising what it was I began a super sneak that kept it flying further away… when I realised what it was, the super sneak became a major maneuver.. I finally caught it in the tree but it did not hang around for long… it flew over to a yard nearby and I found I had enough tall grass to allow me to get closer.. the last shot was when it finally decided who and what I was and took off never to be seen again…. I know these are probably our most shy bird here, and was so pleased with myself… the very next day I went to the golf course.. no camera, and one plopped itself down not 10 m from where I was sitting waiting for my 4 ball to arrive… I was totally flabbergasted.. but no reward as there was no camera… the Piet-my-vrou I have photos of… but not of the best that I would post them here… but it will now have to wait for next year to capture one now… I have seen many cuckoo in Pta and in the Kalahari but never managed to capture it like this time… very proud of myself…
This one is a beauty bulldog – isn’t its eye amazing and also the way you have captured the texture of the feathers – lovely!
Thank you Ruth.. I thought them good as well…
It looks like he’s wearing sweat pants! Nice shots and excellent sneaking!
Thank you… I was very happy with this capture…
Again, beautiful photos. Interesting looking bird. I haven’t seen one before.
Thanks Maralee… an interesting bird, just not well like because of the parasitic breeding habit…
so lovely and beautiful dear Rob, looks like wearing pjyamas… 🙂 Thank you, love, nia
Thanks Nia…
I always thought they looked like a cross breeding between a Pigeon and an Olive Thrush 🙂 Also don’t like them much because of their nest hi-jacking habits. But very good pics none-the-less. Thanks Bulldog. Laura
They have even been known to be confused with the sparrowhawk..thanks for the complement..
I always thought they were interesting and very special birds. Then I found out they are parasitic nesters and I lost some of my respect for them. They kick out the egg that’s in a nest and lay their own in there in its place, giving up ALL their children for adoption and taking off to live the single life.
Yes not the nicest of birds… but then I know some men like that…
People, birds, same difference. That’s life!
Soooo cute!! I love the last one – he looks like he’s saying, “hey, you lookin’ at me?”
That was basically just before he felt threatened by me… a took to flight…
You must be a bird whisperer to get so close. Beautiful.
No no just a good crawler…
Those eyes!
Just like mine…just like mine…
That is scary!
With your stunning photos you are making a birder out of me Bulldog! 🙂
LuAnn I’m so pleased to here that… teaches one patience capturing them…
Then you must have lots of patience! 😉
I WANT ONE!!! We don’t have them here! Excellent clarity by the way 🙂
I Google the damn bird was assured they are world wide.. I know they move south for the north’s winter and then north again during the south’s winter… they must be there somewhere.. thank you.. crawled up real close to this one before the Bulldog frightened him…
Age and size? Come on, Rob! Thanks for the pics I haven’t see them before. They are very cute. 🙂
You must of… so common… 6’2″ 260lbs 62
Nop! There are not that many species of birds (or any other animal) over here… So, again, thank you 😉 I wasn’t sure if it was come on or common. Thanks for that too! 😉 5’10 and 190 here…but my subjects don’t move 🙂
Have a nice day!
Stunning photographs. Weird, I’ve spotted the Coucal out of my window in the middle of Johannesburg but not this. Clearly my life is not normal!
You have seen the coucal in the middle of Jburg?? most unusual for such a shy bird… must admit never seen the cuckoo in the city… crept up on this one in the bush…
I have to say.. this little bird has a rather wild look on its face! cecilia
it is an odd bird… but he does have a cocky look about him…
Something about the third pic I really like.
I do like that one myself… there is almost an attitude, a look of self confidence about the bird in that photo… it was probably wondering what the hell is crawling up on it’s belly here…
LOL … great description.
I love them…they are just beautiful!
I do too .. but never managed to get as close to thhem as I did this one… thank you…