The best sound of Spring for me is the sound of the Cuckoo. One of the loudest songs of the summer has to be from juvenile Cuckoos.
The fact we have Cuckoo’s on Otmoor is very special. They are one of the fastest declining migrants in the UK and sadly have declined by over ½ over the past 25 years.
Nevertheless Otmoor is proving to be a stronghold for them and this year an estimated 4 juveniles have fledged (up from last year).
The cuckoo is a truly unique bird. Unlike other birds that spend the best part of the Summer labouring to feed, shelter and defend there young the female cuckoo simply lays her egg in another birds nest and will leave the foster parents to do the hard work. To add insult to injury the female cuckoo will often eat the egg she has removed in the hope the foster parents will be non the wiser to the ‘parasite’ Cuckoo egg.
Another adaptation, which can be witnessed on the reserve at the moment, is the huge gape of the juvenile. The bottomless pit together with insistent and demanding crying calls are such a strong stimulus that foster parents will work overtime to satisfy the needs of there huge baby. It has even been known for other birds to start feeding this giant crying baby.
Crying juveniles have been spotted along the bridleway and visitor trail that leads to the reedbed and viewing screens.
(Image from Richard Ebbes)