Great to hear my first Common Cuckoo of the year today. Sadly, it is the sound of spring that is becoming increasingly scarce, as this iconic British bird is on the red list with a 56% decline from 1970 to 2015. Increasing desertification in Africa may be one factor for this migrant. However, there are still a lot in Scotland where birds have further to fly than SE England, where they are increasingly scarce. I think the decline in the host species is another factor with loss of habitat and secondly, the overuse of pesticides and herbicides (a young cuckoo needs a lot of insects). The overuse of herbicides in the UK and Africa is a real 'timebomb' factor that is as serious as climate change. Make a small difference by avoiding using pesticides and herbicides in your garden, and getting your food from places that have better farming practices, thereby helping those farmers trying to do the right thing. And the Common Cuckoo is not really a British bird, but an African bird that flies all the way to the UK to breed! Some males just spend a few weeks here to breed, then fly back to Africa. #cuckoo #commoncuckoo #Hortoncountrypark #kevthenatureguide (at Horton Country Park) https://www.instagram.com/p/B_eq8-UDy3Z/?igshid=zhria5h9uw6t