Sneaky breeding tactics of the Cuckoo!

Years 3 & 4 explored the sneaky breeding tactics of the Cuckoo! 

Firstly, they relished the challenge of designing and constructing their own human sized bird nests. Then we acted out the cuckoo's unique breeding habit. Unlike most birds who tirelessly create a nest in which to house their young through the next few weeks once breeding season has started, the cuckoo outsources its parenting to other birds. Female birds will lie in wait, spying out a busy nest to host their offspring. When the parent birds’ backs are turned, the mother cuckoo dives in, removes one of their eggs, and replaces it with one of her own, before disappearing off into the trees. This entire exchange takes around 10 seconds!