Help us track Cuckoos and watch the current cohort's epic migration on our Cuckoo migration map. Read the latest updates on how our cuckoos are managing their amazing migration from Britain and Ireland to Africa and back again.
Time, skill and support
Spend as much time as you like following each Cuckoo's migration and reading the updates about their movements.
No technical skills are required to support the Cuckoo Tracking project - just a love of Cuckoos.
Learn more on our Cuckoo BirdFacts page and how to identify them and their call in our Cuckoo ID video.
About the project
We’ve been satellite-tracking Cuckoos since 2011. We’ve learned lots of vital information, such as how the different migration routes are linked to declines, and some of the pressures Cuckoos face whilst on migration, but there is still much more to discover.
- We have been able to share our expertise around tracking Cuckoos with other international studies, such as the Beijing Cuckoo Project.
- Read more about our Cuckoo Tracking Project.
- Explore the Cuckoo BirdFacts page to learn more about this iconic species.
An important aspect of this project is how it helps us improve our understanding of why Cuckoos are in decline:
- Since 1995, the number of Cuckoos has decreased by over 30%.
- The Cuckoo is currently Red-listed as a Bird of Conservation Concern in the UK.
What’s next
We now need to look more closely at how dependent Cuckoos 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.
Learn more
- What have the Cuckoos taught us? (2022)
- Cuckoo's clocks can't adjust to climate change - now we know why (2023)
- Our Cuckoo tracking journey (2024)
- Learn more about Cuckoos (facts, figures, trends)
- Learn how to identify them and their call in our Cuckoo ID video
- More about bird tracking technology (GPS, PTTs, Geolocators)
Support the project
- Help us continue our vital research by sponsoring a Cuckoo.
Cuckoo migration map
Each Cuckoo’s tag sends us location data approximately every day, so we can follow them and learn more about their migration.
Cuckoo movements from 1st May 2025 to 11th April 2026
Latest updates
Ashok's surprise Suffolk visit
As the first of our tagged birds to arrive in Europe, we anticipated that Ashok may also be the first to make it to the UK this spring. Having spent a few days just to the west of Valencia in early April, he continued his journey north. Last weekend he covered over 1,000 km (620 miles), crossing the Pyrenees and flying onward through central France.
After a short stop in the large forest of Rambouillet, just to the west of Paris, he swiftly carried on and touched down in Suffolk on 7 April. While we were delighted to see Ashok back on UK soil, he seemed less impressed… in less than 48 hours Ashok had flown 300 km (186 miles) south and returned to France! He is currently on the banks of the River Seine, close to the city of Rouen in Normandy. Hopefully he will find plenty of food here to fuel his journey back to Suffolk!
Jim flies into France
Jim has made significant progress in recent days. Having left Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) nine days ago, he travelled approximately 4,400 km (2,734 miles), crossing the Sahara via Mali, Mauritania, Western Algeria and Morocco, before powering up through Spain, crossing the eastern Bay of Biscay, and into western France. His signal shows that he is currently taking a well-earned rest on the Island of Oléron, to the west of Rochefort.
Cores heads for the hills
Cuach Cores left Ghana and flew north, passing through Burkina Faso, Mali and Algeria. His latest signal shows that he has now crossed the Mediterranean, and entered Spain close to the city of Almeria. From here he has continued a further 120 km (75 miles) north and his signal shows that he is in a mountainous region close to the small village of Cañadas de Cañepla.
Current Cuckoos
Each year, we follow a cohort of newly tagged Cuckoos as they migrate along the Afro-Palearctic flyway. We also watch Cuckoos tagged in previous years, if their tag is still transmitting data to us. Together, these are our 'Current Cuckoos'.
