Any of various birds, of the family Cuculidae (from Latin cuculus 'cuckoo'), famous for laying its eggs in the nests of other species; but especially the Common Cuckoo, Cuculus canorus, that has a characteristic two-note call
Any of various birds, of the family Cuculidae, famous for laying its eggs in the nests of other species; but especially Cuculus canorus that has a characteristic two-note call
A bird belonging to Cuculus, Coccyzus, and several allied genera, of many species
A cuckoo is a bird that has a call of two quick notes, and lays its eggs in other birds' nests. a grey European bird that puts its eggs in other birds' nests and that makes a sound that sounds like its name (cucu, from the sound it makes). crazy or silly. Any of some 138 species of tree-dwelling and terrestrial birds of the family Cuculidae. They are found worldwide in temperate and tropical regions but are most diverse in the Old World tropics. New World species are sometimes classified as a separate family (Coccyzidae) and include the roadrunner. Cuckoos range from 6.5 to 36 in. (16 to 90 cm) long. Most are drab gray, but a few are partially or completely brightly coloured or iridescent. Aside from the European cuckoo's familiar two-note call, cuckoos are best known for their habit of brood parasitism (see cowbird); their eggs resemble those of the host species (egg mimicry), and the adult cuckoo removes one or more host eggs to ensure that the substitution is not detected. The newly hatched cuckoo may also eject eggs or nestlings
any of numerous European and North American birds having pointed wings and a long tail
{i} European songbird; bird related to the European cuckoo bird; call of the cuckoo bird characterized by two-notes ; (Slang) crazy person, goofball, foolish person