The curious life of the cuckoo

John Lewis-Stempel

Is there any bird more mysterious than the cuckoo? It is invariably heard, and not seen. And if seen, it is mistaken for a sharp-winged hawk. The female cuckoo - by a trick that borders on alchemy - is able to disguise its egg as another's. In Greek myth the god Zeus assumed the form of a cuckoo to seduce Hera. But we forgive the cuckoo its con-artistry, because it is the true herald of spring. It is the bird that uplifts our wintered hearts, with that first two-note 'cuk-koo' unmistakable as it sounds across the country. John Lewis-Stempel explains one of nature's greatest enigmas in vivid, lyrical prose, and celebrates this iconic bird.

Author(s): Lewis-Stempel, John
Binding: Hardback
Date of Publication: 06/03/2025
Pagination: 112 pages
Series: N/A
Imprint: Doubleday
Published By: Doubleday
Book Classification: Wildlife: birds & birdwatching: general interest|Zoology: birds (ornithology)|The countryside, country life: general interest|The Earth: natural history: general interest
Dimensions: 205x133x13
Weight: 198
ISBN13\EAN\SKU: 9780857526410