Parenting can be lots of work for a bird: all that flying back and forth transporting grubs and insects to a nest of demanding young. But some birds manage to forgo caring for their chicks — while ...

The reproductive behavior of the Common Cuckoo is reflected in the word "cuckold." This derogatory term, so common in Shakespeare's writings, refers to a man whose wife has been unfaithful, leading to ...

Brood parasites are some of the bird kingdom’s most notorious sneaks. They don’t rear their own young but instead pawn the task of child care off onto other species without their knowledge. Instead of ...

Avian brood parasitism is a fascinating reproductive strategy wherein parasitic birds, such as the common cuckoo, lay their eggs in the nests of other avian species. This deceptive tactic forces ...

Cuckoos exhibit a remarkable survival strategy by foregoing nest building, a costly endeavor. Instead, they cleverly deposit ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Common cuckoos aren’t known for being model parents. Rather than ...

Daurian redstarts move closer to humans to protect their nests from brood parasitism. Daurian redstarts move their nesting sites closer to or even inside human settlements when cuckoos are around. In ...

It was nature’s version of an Easter egg hunt. Dr. Claire Spottiswoode, a professor at the University of Cape Town who studies avian (bird) brood parasites, was working in Zambia to learn more about ...

This story appears in the January 2018 issue of National Geographic magazine. For the care and feeding of its offspring, the common cuckoo outsources. When she’s ready to lay an egg, a female Cuculus ...

There are plenty of birds that are widely referenced in popular culture today, whether as a sports team name or as the origin for an ubiquitous turn of phrase—looking at you, ugly duckling. But few ...

Daurian redstarts move their nesting sites closer to or even inside human settlements when cuckoos are around. In doing so, they actively protect their nest against brood parasitism, as cuckoos avoid ...