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 2nd March 2026
Latest updates
Sayaan keeps moving
Since our last update, which saw Sayaan moving into south-eastern Cameroon, he has continued to make his way slowly north-west through the country. Covering just over 300 km (186 miles) in the last five days, he is now just to the south of the city of Bertoua.
Initially tagged on the Knepp Estate, Sussex in May 2023, this will be the third consecutive spring that we may track Sayaan’s spring migration.
Joe moves through Cameroon
Cuckoo Joe is making his way northwards through Cameroon, roughly following the course of the Sanaga River. Currently located between the Pangar Djerem Reserve and Mbam et Djerem National Park, Joe’s next move should see him heading into, or through, Nigeria.
Tagged in Norfolk in summer 2022, this will be the fourth spring that we may track his incredible movements north.
Arthur heads into Liberia
When we last posted Arthur’s whereabouts, he had made a significant move to Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). After a short stay there, he powered on, covering approximately 230 km (143 miles) and crossing the border into Liberia. He is now in a remote and densely forested region in the country’s Grand Gedeh County.
Arthur was one the new cohort of Cuckoos tagged in Suffolk in 2025. This will be the first time that we get to follow his northbound migration; so far, he is leading the pack by a considerable margin!
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'.
