Cuckoo Tracking Project

Cuckoo. Alan McFadyen

Help us follow Cuckoos on migration and discover why they are in decline

The Cuckoo is currently Red Listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern in the UK, due to its population decline.

Since 2011 we’ve been satellite-tracking Cuckoos to find out why they are declining. We’ve learned lots of vital information which could help us to understand our Cuckoos, such as how the different routes taken are linked to declines, and some of the pressures they face whilst on migration — but there is still more to discover.

We now need to look more closely at how dependent they are on, and how much their migration is linked, to the drought-busting rains of the weather frontal system known as the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) as they move out of the Congo rainforest and begin to head back to the UK via West Africa.

  • This project wouldn't have been possible without the amazing support from funders and sponsors. Read more about the project and find out how you can get involved.
  • We have been able to share our expertise around tracking Cuckoos with other international studies, such as the Beijing Cuckoo Project.

Skill required

  • Follow our Cuckoos on the map below - use the controls to animate or step through their movements.

Cuckoo movements from 01 May 2023 to 17 March 2024

View routes starting..
Cuckoo positions on
 
 
 
Show markers
Show routes
Show all birds

Current Cuckoos

Bluey. Bluey

Bluey

ID: 242385
Status: active
Cuach Carran. Cuach Carran Map Pin.

Cuach Carran

ID: 242389
Status: unknown
Cuach Cores. Cores

Cuach Cores

ID: 242386
Status: active
Cuach Torc. Torc

Cuach Torc

ID: 242384
Status: active
George. George

George

ID: 242387
Status: active
JAC the Cuckoo JAC

JAC

ID: 213805
Status: presumed dead
Jasper. Jasper

Jasper

ID: 232668
Status: unknown
Joe, Cranwich Heath, 2022. PTT 232670 Joe

Joe

ID: 232670
Status: active
KP. KP

KP

ID: 242388
Status: active
Cleeve (2023 tagged Cuckoo) Michael

Michael

ID: 242426
Status: unknown
Sayaan. Sayaan

Sayaan

ID: 242502
Status: active
Trent Trent

Trent

ID: 242383
Status: active

View previously tagged birds

Latest updates

Cuach Torc moves west

18 Mar 2024

New updates received over the last few days show that Cuach Torc has left the Congo and flown 2,102km (1,306 miles) west to Ghana.

He is now in western Ghana, a few miles east of Bui National Park and the Bui Gorge Reservoir.

Joe moves west

15 Mar 2024

Over the last few days Joe has flown 1,443km (897 miles) west, taking him out of Cameroon and into Ghana, via Nigeria, Benin and Togo.

His route has taken him across the north end of Lake Volta and onwards west towards the town of Kintampo in the Bono East Region of Ghana.

In 2023 Joe made this same move west two weeks earlier, arriving in Ghana on 27 Feb. He then remained around the Ghana/Ivory Coast border until early April before popping up again in southern France on 9 April and returning to the UK on 24 April. 

Joe is heading west

12 Mar 2024

New updates received from Joe's tag early this morning show that he has flown 636km (395 miles) north west through Cameroon. He is now approximately 75km east of the city of Bafoussam in the West region of Cameroon.  

Browse updates from our Cuckoos

Project Lead
Email Contact:
cuckoos@bto.org

Project timeline, contributions & findings

Project timeline

  • 5/11 - First round of five Cuckoos tagged, wintering sites in the Congo identified 
  • 3/12 - Different routes discovered on return journeys
  • 2016 - First scientific paper published on on the routes of our Cuckoos