Yep, very common sound to hear in European forests and a sign that spring is here.
What’s also interesting about them is that they don’t build nests. They just lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and let them take care of their young. The baby cuckoo will throw the other baby birds out of the nest so it’ll get all the food.
In South America too, although they’re shiny cowbirds instead. Their parasitic behaviour is so famous that, at least in my Portuguese dialect, their local name “chupim” is often used to refer to people who take advantage of the others’ goodwill.
Unlike “cuckold”, “chupim” isn’t really sexual. It’s mostly that sort of person who wants everything, but never gives back.
For example. You and your brother got each their own toys. If you play with his toys, he throws a tantrum: “THEY’RE MINE!”. If you don’t let him play with your toys, he also throws a tantrum: “WAAAAH YOU’RE SELFISH!”. That’s a chupim.
Yep, very common sound to hear in European forests and a sign that spring is here.
What’s also interesting about them is that they don’t build nests. They just lay their eggs in other birds’ nests and let them take care of their young. The baby cuckoo will throw the other baby birds out of the nest so it’ll get all the food.
In north america Cowbirds do the same thing basically!
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brown-headed_Cowbird/overview
In South America too, although they’re shiny cowbirds instead. Their parasitic behaviour is so famous that, at least in my Portuguese dialect, their local name “chupim” is often used to refer to people who take advantage of the others’ goodwill.
In the USA the name cuckoo is also used to refer to people who like to do… a thing.
Unlike “cuckold”, “chupim” isn’t really sexual. It’s mostly that sort of person who wants everything, but never gives back.
For example. You and your brother got each their own toys. If you play with his toys, he throws a tantrum: “THEY’RE MINE!”. If you don’t let him play with your toys, he also throws a tantrum: “WAAAAH YOU’RE SELFISH!”. That’s a chupim.
How do you know my brother?