In part two of our exploration of the parasites of the bird world we meet the brood parasites: the birds that lay their eggs in other birds' nests. They are the dead-beat parents who can't be bothered raising their own young. But while we might think of these birds as the lowest of cheats, when we dig further we discover that being a freeloader isn't as easy as it seems. They have evolved a range of impressive traits that make them successful birds. So join me today to learn about Cuckoos and their other parasitic kin. To support Bird of the Week and gain access to our second podcast, What's up with that's Bird's Name? click on through to Patreon: www.patreon.com/birdoftheweek Want birds in your inbox? Drop me a line at [email protected] and I'll hook you up with a free weekly bird. Would you like some bird art in your life? Then visit Seni Illustration for some bespoke bird art: https://www.seniillustrations.com/ Notes: Brood parasitism: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brood_parasiteThe Family Cuculiformes: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CuckooCowbirds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CowbirdIndigobirds: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ViduidaeHoneyguides: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HoneyguideCuckoo Duck: https://ebird.org/species/blhduc1?siteLanguage=en_AUVillage Indigobird: https://ebird.org/species/vilindPacific Koel: https://ebird.org/species/asikoe3?siteLanguage=en_AUGreater Honeyguide: https://ebird.org/species/grehon2Common Hawk-Cuckoo: https://ebird.org/species/cohcuc1?siteLanguage=en_AUDrongo-cuckoos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SurniculusShining Bronze-cuckoo: https://ebird.org/species/shbcuc1?siteLanguage=en_AUFairy-wrens sing to their eggs: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2012.11779#:~:text=Superb%20fairy%2Dwren%20(Malurus%20cyaneus,they%20want%20to%20get%20fed.American Goldfinch: https://ebird.org/species/amegfi