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Updates from our Cuckoos

Read the latest updates from our Cuckoos on their epic migration between the UK and tropical Africa, or track their movements in real-time on our Cuckoo migration map.

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Cuckoo class of 2017

15 Nov 2017

In 2017, we have been trialling the very latest satellite tracking technology - this year’s cohort were tagged with 2g tags from Microwave Telemetry.

We have, unfortunately, ‘lost’ contact with most of them already. It would seem that the smaller size of the new tag allows the solar panel, used to recharge the tiny battery, to become shaded by feathers, resulting in much less efficient charging of the battery, and consequently lower contact with the tag. Although some may have died, the lack of transmissions from the tags makes it impossible to assess this and in all cases, there were no indications that the birds were in trouble when we last heard from their tags.

This is exacerbated during the winter months by the birds spending more time under the canopy in the Congo rainforest. We don’t know how the batteries will fare when the birds begin their northward migration back to the UK. On leaving the rainforest the tags should receive more sunlight which might be enough to overcome feather shading, and if this happens some of the ‘lost birds’ could pop-up again in February or March, but it is possible that the prolonged shading will have caused irreversible damage to the much smaller batteries in the 2g model. We all have our fingers crossed.

As we move forward we are continuously looking for effective ways to continue gathering this important data for Cuckoos, and other species, to benefit our knowledge and ultimately wildlife conservation. We hope that next year we will be able to track a cohort of cuckoos without these issues arising. 

Where are Nicholas and Kidman?

06 Sep 2017
Nicholas and Kidmans' tags both last sent transmissions from Italy in July. However nothing has been received since. It seems that the tags aren't charging so we do not know if they remain in Italy or have moved on. Peckham is still as far north as Belgium so it could be that Nicholas and Kidman have also yet to move further south.  At this stage we have nothing to suggest that anything has happened to these Cuckoos and we hope to hear from them again.

No further news

24 Aug 2017
No recent news from Kidman or Nicholas, whose tags last transmitted in Italy, or Carlton, last known to have been in the UK.

Nothing further from Nicholas or Kidman

10 Aug 2017
No further signals have been sent in the last month to reveal that Nicholas or Kidman have moved on so we assume they are still both in Italy.

Cutting edge technology 2g tags

13 Jul 2017
In spring we fitted our six new recruits to the UK Cuckoo Tracking Project with 2g satellite tags for the first time. Whilst these are similar in design to the 5g tags previously used, the lighter, smaller tags mean we are able to fit them to lighter and smaller birds, opening up opportunities for future tracking projects. The benefit of using a smaller tag does come with costs, however. The 2g tag has a lower power output than the larger tag and, because it is physically smaller we are finding that the solar panels are being covered to a greater extent by the bird’s feathers. This results in fewer and poorer quality locations, especially when the bird is under cover within its habitat. As a consequence the journeys of these new birds might not always be quite as easy to follow and some erroneous positions may be plotted on the maps. We still expect to get enough to enable us to see their migrations unfold and add to the wealth of information that we already have so stay tuned! 

170434 is named Kidman

13 Jul 2017
Kidman has been named by BBC Wildlife in honour of Rosamund Kidman Cox, the first and most long-standing Editor of the magazine.

170434 heads further south

07 Jul 2017
After spending a few days close to Paris, Cuckoo 170434 headed south, arriving in southeast France on 26 June and stopping for four days close to Lyon before heading east into Italy. He is currently in an area of woodland just north of Malpensa airport on the northern edge of the Po valley.

170434 near Paris

27 Jun 2017
By the afternoon of the 23 June, Cuckoo 170434 had arrived at a location roughly 50km (30 miles) from the centre of Paris, having traveled around 340km (210 miles) from the New Forest.


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