Site
Of Nest:
Food:
Plumage:
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It lays
it's eggs in a host nest. At the appropriate moment, the hen cuckoo
flies down to the host's nest, pushes one egg out of the nest, lays an
egg and flies off. The whole process takes about 10 seconds. A female may
visit up to 50 nests during a breeding season. It is a summer migrant,
wintering in Africa. It arrives in April and leaves in September.
Insects, with hairy caterpillars, which are distasteful to many birds,
being a specialty of preference. It also occasionally eats eggs and
chicks.
Adult males are slate-grey; the grey throat extends well down the
bird's breast with a sharp demarcation to the barred underparts.The
iris, orbital ring, the base of the bill and feet are yellow. Grey
adult females have a pinkish-buff or buff background to the barring and
neck side.
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