As regular CFZ-watchers will know, for some time Corinna has been doing a column for Animals & Men and a regular segment on On The Track... particularly about out-of-place birds and rare vagrants. There seem to be more and more bird stories from all over the world hitting the news these days so, to make room for them all - and to give them all equal and worthy coverage - she has set up this new blog to cover all things feathery and Fortean.

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Bookmakers lay odds on arrival of tagged cuckoos

Bookmakers William Hill has teamed up with naturalist and Springwatch presenter, Chris Packham, and the British Trust For Ornithology (BTO) to offer odds on the arrival of the first cuckoo to migrate back to the UK from Africa to breed.

The joint project is called ‘The Great Cuckoo Race 2015’, and followers can get updates on the live tracking system they can find on the BTO website – www.bto.org/cuckoos.

Dudley, the Sherwood Forest 
cuckoo, who is leading the race
back to Britain  to breed

Altogether there are 17 birds to watch, each carrying a high tech satellite tracking device to monitor their progress.

The furious flapping contest is building to a climax with Dudley, a 20/1 outsider from Sherwood Forest at the start of the race, in a commanding lead.

The goal of the cuckoo tagging project is to help raise awareness about the iconic birds and their plight.

Since tracking started in 2011, 17 cuckoos that have been tagged are still active, but 33 have either perished or been lost.

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