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David Attenborough explores how cuckoos get their eggs into the nests of other species. It is one of the iconic brood parasites. From 2011.

The Cuckoo is one of the iconic brood parasites of the world - the bird that cons another species into taking its egg as its own and rears the chick to fledging.

In the single frame of the Cuckoo you have a long distance migrant, travelling from Africa to breeding grounds in the temperate north, and back again.

The Cuckoo does not raise its own chick and across a range of Cuckoo individuals, they parasitise several species of bird - all much smaller than they are.

Sir David Attenborough explores the world of the Cuckoo and not only marvels at their natural history but tells the story of how a wildlife cameraman resolved a scientific mystery - and how the Cuckoo itself harbours yet more secrets to science and natural history.

Producer: Julian Hector.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in May 2011

30 days left to listen

10 minutes

Last on

Mon 30 Oct 2023 04:45

Broadcasts

  • Fri 20 May 2011 20:50
  • Sun 22 May 2011 08:50
  • Mon 13 Jun 2016 06:20
  • Mon 13 Jun 2016 13:20
  • Mon 13 Jun 2016 20:20
  • Tue 14 Jun 2016 01:20
  • Sat 19 Jan 2019 14:35
  • Sun 20 Jan 2019 02:35
  • Sun 4 Oct 2020 10:45
  • Sun 4 Oct 2020 21:45
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  • Thu 8 Sep 2022 11:45
  • Sun 29 Oct 2023 10:45
  • Sun 29 Oct 2023 15:45
  • Sun 29 Oct 2023 21:45
  • Mon 30 Oct 2023 04:45

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