Going Cuckoo for cuckoos 

It’s sad, but also quite worrying. Cuckoos help control insect populations and are part of the delicate balance between birds, insects, and plants – which means the entire ecosystem is under strain. 

Cuckoos are also migratory birds, meaning they fly over deserts and seas in flocks from Sub-Saharan Africa to the UK (and other parts of Europe) to lay their eggs. Now, with fewer places to rest and feed when they travel, it’s a sign that bigger environmental problems are happening. 

So, we’ve teamed up with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) to support their brilliant cuckoo-tracking project. Aptly named the Cuckoo Tracking Project. 

Every year, the lovely BTO team fit new cuckoos with a tiny satellite tag (don’t worry, it’s absolutely harmless) and track their 6000-mile journey from the UK back to Congo Basin. And back again. All to help give scientists important data on what’s threatening their survival. It’s fascinating and deeply important work. 

This time of year (May - July) is the perfect time to hear cuckoos in the UK. The best spots are quiet woodland edges and open countryside in spring, especially in southern England, Wales, and upland reserves like the New Forest or Cairngorms. If you do hear one, we’d love you to let us know on our social media – just tag us on Instagram, Facebook or LinkedIn. 

This isn’t our first partnership with folks doing good for the wild. We recently teamed up with The Ramblers to help more people access Britain’s great outdoors, and we’re also working with Cycling UK to get more people on bikes. 

Plus, we’ve got our long-standing campaign, Cuckoo Unwired. This is our ongoing mission that encourages folks to pause, unplug and be outside for a bit. All so people can enjoy the real world just as much as the digital world.