{"id":9320,"date":"2021-08-20T09:17:39","date_gmt":"2021-08-20T09:17:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?p=9320"},"modified":"2021-08-24T07:06:19","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T07:06:19","slug":"what-do-cuckoo-birds-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/what-do-cuckoo-birds-eat\/","title":{"rendered":"What Do Cuckoo Birds Eat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You may have heard about the cuckoo\u2019s song<\/a> or their strange nesting habits, but did you know that their eating habits can be every bit as interesting? Cuckoos are not picky when it comes time to feed, and at times, their need for protein can drive some pretty odd behaviors. So, what do cuckoo birds eat? In this article, we\u2019ll answer that question and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Foods Do Cuckoo Birds Eat?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Cuckoos are generally considered insectivores, meaning they mostly eat insects. However, when food is scarce, they will eat a variety of things. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Audubon<\/a>, cuckoos tend to hunt for insects in the branches of trees and shrubs, but they will sometimes catch flying insects in midair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A cuckoo\u2019s favorite food appears to be caterpillars, especially the plump, fuzzy or hairy varieties.<\/strong> They aren\u2019t particular about which kids they like, as they will often eat caterpillar species that other birds will avoid.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Cuckoos tend to eat insects that are destructive to crops and plant life, such as the cabbage white butterfly and its larva. <\/strong>They will also eat a variety of moths and butterflies, as well as some types of spiders and centipedes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some cuckoos eat more than just insects and invertebrates. They may be driven to seek out other food sources during times of drought or famine, or they may simply adapt to eating a wider variety of foods based on what\u2019s available in a given region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some alternate food sources of cuckoos include lizards, snakes,  and small rodents such as mice. Some cuckoo species will even eat fruit and berries.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

With so many food options available, cuckoos are rarely threatened with the possibility of starvation.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Does a Baby Cuckoo Eat?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Cuckoos are known as brood parasites; this means they lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, which then raise the young cuckoos as their own. Because of this, baby cuckoos eat whatever they are fed by their host parents.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Young cuckoos are often raised by meadowlarks and reed warblers, both of which tend to feed worms and insects<\/strong> to their young. Depending on the species of the host parent, young cuckoos may be fed whole insects or food regurgitated by the parent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is possibly at this young stage of life when cuckoos learn to eat a variety of foods, as they may also be fed bits of fruit and many different invertebrates. Like the adults, young cuckoos are generally not picky about what they\u2019re given to eat, as long as they receive a steady supply of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do Cuckoos Eat Other Birds?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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We\u2019ve established that cuckoos eat a lot of different things. They may even be considered opportunistic eaters, as they will eat whatever\u2019s available to them if food is scarce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This begs the question: will they eat other birds?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most cuckoos do not stoop to this level of semi-cannibalism, but there have been rare occasions when large cuckoos have been spotted eating birds of smaller species or their chicks.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is fairly common for cuckoos to eat the eggs of other birds, but they rarely eat other adult birds. When laying eggs in another bird\u2019s nest, a cuckoo may steal one of the existing eggs and either eat it or push it over the edge of the nest. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sometimes, cuckoos will eat baby birds.<\/strong> While it\u2019s unclear what drives this behavior, it may be due to food shortage or because the cuckoo plans to lay an egg in the nest and feels the need to remove the existing young.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The following video shows a cuckoo attacking and eating a bulbul chick. The video is a little graphic; watch at your own risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=C3f-yXBy98A<\/a>