Two Cuckoos have been recorded as laying 25 eggs, and one of those through human intervention. They rarely even lay 12. One dominant female, with a following wind, might get 10-12 eggs away but the window of opportunity is short. Most miss the first clutches of the meadow pipit due to their late arrival, so either wait for the second clutches or maybe try their luck into Dunnocks or Robins nests. Ground nesting hosts face a battle with predators, corvids, rats, weasels and stoats are just a few who help themselves and with the young cuckoo being in the nest for 25-30 days, the risk is higher. Not many get away
This was wonderful, thank you John. I was unaware of just how many eggs a cuckoo can lay, nor that a female is specific to her host. That makes some sense of the tragic declines as concomitant declines have been affecting Meadow pipit etc.
I will be recommending your Substack far and wide!
Two Cuckoos have been recorded as laying 25 eggs, and one of those through human intervention. They rarely even lay 12. One dominant female, with a following wind, might get 10-12 eggs away but the window of opportunity is short. Most miss the first clutches of the meadow pipit due to their late arrival, so either wait for the second clutches or maybe try their luck into Dunnocks or Robins nests. Ground nesting hosts face a battle with predators, corvids, rats, weasels and stoats are just a few who help themselves and with the young cuckoo being in the nest for 25-30 days, the risk is higher. Not many get away
This was wonderful, thank you John. I was unaware of just how many eggs a cuckoo can lay, nor that a female is specific to her host. That makes some sense of the tragic declines as concomitant declines have been affecting Meadow pipit etc.
I will be recommending your Substack far and wide!
Fascinating!
Thank you.