Common Cuckoo

Cuculus canorus (Linnaeus, 1758)

		male female juvenile female rufous morph
2014-06-11 VKO Katon-Karagay 2010-05-15 Ile region, Almaty oblast2006-09-08 Korgalzhin State Natural Reserve, Akmola oblast2013-05-12 Alakol lake, Almaty region	© Vladimir Vorobyov © Askar Isabekov© Askar Isabekov© Vassiliy Fedorenko

Distribution

On migration occurs everywhere, breeds in almost all regions of Kazakhstan. Please see the detailed distribution in the section Subspecies.

Biology

Common breeding migrant. Inhabits the forests and meadows in river valleys; deciduous, mixed and coniferous forests on plains and in mountains up to 2000 (Altai) – 3000m (Tien Shan); lakes with reed-beds; parks and gardens. Arrives in mid-April – May. Last migrants recorded in early June. Breeding coincides with breeding period of its main hosts (Warblers, Yellow, White, Masked and Grey Wagtails, Bluethroat, Turkestan Shrike, Long-tailed Shrike, Stonechat, Himalayan Rubythroat, Severtzov’s Tit-warbler, Black-throated and Brown Accentors, Red-headed Bunting). Cuckoo eggs were recorded from mid-May up to early July, fledglings in end June to early August. At once the observing Cuckoo found the nest of Himalayan Rubythroat with clutch at the late stage of incubation and ate all eggs. The same behaviour in two nests of White Wagtail was observed in Ural valley. At such manner Cuckoo stimulates the repeated breeding of its host. Autumn migration begins in end of July – August, latest birds recorded in end September – mid-October, at Chokpak Pass singles ringed 20 September 2004 and 4 October 2000.

Subspecies

Cuculus canorus canorus (Linnaeus, 1758) Description. General colour darker than subtelephonus. Size is larger than subtelephonus. Male wing length 212-240 (225), female 195-227 (212) mm. Distribution. Lives both on plains and in mountains of northern part of Kazakhstan, in south to lower reaches of Ural river, northern coast of Aral Sea, lower reaches of Syrdarya valley, Balkhash and Alakol lakes. On migration occurs in south from said range.

Cuculus canorus subtelephonus (Zarudny, 1914) Description. General colour lighter than canorus. Sizes is less than canorus. Male wing length 206-224 (216), female 191-229 (205) mm. Distribution. Lives both on plains and in mountains of southern part of Kazakhstan, in north to lower reaches of Ural river, northern coast of Aral Sea, lower reaches of Syrdarya valley, Balkhash and Alakol lakes. In said range occurs on migration too.

References

Gavrilov E. I., Gavrilov A. E. "The Birds of Kazakhstan". Almaty, 2005. Э.И.Гаврилов. "Фауна и распространение птиц Казахстана". Алматы, 1999. В.К.Рябицев. "Птицы Урала, Приуралья и Западной Сибири". Екатеринбург, Изд-во Уральского университета, 2000.