Common cuckoo Common cuckoo The common cuckoo ("Cuculus canorus") is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, "Cuculiformes", which includes the roadrunners, the anis and the coucals. This species is a widespread summer migrant to Europe and Asia, and winters in Africa. It is a brood parasite, which means it lays eggs in the nests of other bird species, particularly of dunnocks, meadow pipits, and reed warblers. Although its eggs are larger than those of its hosts, the eggs in each type of host nest resemble the host's eggs. The adult too is a mimic, in its case of the sparrowhawk;
Black-billed cuckoo Black-billed cuckoo The black-billed cuckoo ("Coccyzus erythropthalmus") is a New World species in the Cuculidae (cuckoo) family. The scientific name is from Ancient Greek. The genus name "kokkuzo", means to call like a common cuckoo, and "erythropthalmus" is from "eruthros", "red" and "ophthalmos", "eye". It is very similar and overlaps in range with the closely related yellow-billed cuckoo. A distinguishing characteristic of family Cuculidae is laying eggs in the nests of other birds. Although many cuckoos are obligate brood parasites, "C. erythropthalmus" often incubate their own chicks. Adults have a long, graduated brown tail and a black, slightly downcurved bill.