cucú

Cucú is the common onomatopoeic name for the cuckoo, particularly the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). In Spanish, cucú refers to both the bird and its characteristic two-note call. The term is used in many languages to imitate the bird’s sound, forming a recognizable cultural label for this species.

The common cuckoo is a medium-sized bird, about 28-32 cm in length, with grey-brown upperparts, pale underparts, and a long tail. Males and females look similar, while juveniles have more mottled plumage. The species belongs to the family Cuculidae and displays the slender build and soft plumage typical of many cuckoos.

Distribution and habitat: It breeds across Europe and temperate Asia and winters in Africa or southern Asia, depending on the population. Cucú inhabits a range of environments, including woodlands, hedgerows, scrub, and open forests, often near edges or water sources.

Behavior and ecology: The common cuckoo is best known for brood parasitism. The female lays eggs in the nests of other passerine birds, such as warblers and reed warblers; host parents typically incubate the eggs and raise the cuckoo chick. In some host species, eggs are mimicked to resemble the cuckoo’s eggs. The chick often hatches first and may eject host eggs or nestlings while begging aggressively for food. The male’s call is a distinctive repetitive whistle, commonly rendered as “cu-cu,” while the female is less vocal.

Cultural notes: The name cucú appears in many Spanish-speaking regions for the bird and its call. Cuckoo imagery is also associated with clocks and timekeeping in various cultures, where a clock’s cuckoo call is used as an alert.