What they like

Half-open landscape with rough edges. Hedgerows, shelterbelts, ditch banks, heath, young woodland edges. Not mown too neatly. Lots of insects. Leave nettles and cow parsley, plant hawthorn and blackthorn, and give your verge a “mow once late” policy. In yards and parks: leave little corners messy, with shrubs and tall herbs.

Ecological importance

The cuckoo is a specialist in hairy caterpillars. Think oak processionary caterpillar and the bastard satin caterpillar: exactly the sort of stuff many birds won’t touch with their beaks. Fewer caterpillar outbreaks, more balance. It is mainly taken by raptors such as the sparrowhawk and goshawk, so cover in the shrub edge helps.

When in the Netherlands

Summer visitor. Usually back in April. Gone from July; most have already left by August.

Status

Common, but in clear decline for years. More scrub and insect-rich margins make an immediate difference.