The common cuckoo is a brood parasite, meaning it lays its eggs in other birds’ nests. Therefore, the female does not build her own nest and instead relies on other birds to raise her chicks.

Clever birds figure out how to trick others into raising their kids A common Cuckoo chick in Reed Wablers nest waits to be fed with its mouth wide open, in this undated file photo. Getty Images ...

Cuckoo… Cuckoo…” — the unmistakable springtime call of the Common Cuckoo echoes across meadows and forests, even though the bird itself is rarely seen. Enjoy this iconic sound of Europe's wild season.

JOHNSTON — The common cuckoo is such a rare sight in this part of the world that it doesn’t show up in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s guide to birds in North America. The Audubon Society ...