Egg laying behavior of common cuckoos ( ): Data based on field video-recordings.

Abstract in brief

• This study analyzed the egg-laying behavior of common cuckoos over seven years, focusing on their parasitism of oriental reed warbler nests, with detailed video recordings of 53 parasitic events.
• The researchers proposed a new "delivery hypothesis," suggesting that cuckoos peck and bite eggs to quickly lay their own eggs while reducing host attention and attacks, making parasitism more efficient.
• The study found that cuckoos alter their behavior in the presence of hosts, employing specific strategies to avoid attacks and ensure successful egg-laying regardless of the time of day.]