Cuckoos and their fosterers: uncovering details of Edward Blyth's field experiments

Abstract

In a paper published in the Magazine of natural history in 1835, Edward Blyth (1810–1873) summarized information pertinent to the life history of the brood-parasitic common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) in England, and its interactions with some of its foster species. He highlighted findings and ideas of other individuals and injected some of his own anecdotal observations into this account. Most interestingly, he alluded to experiments he had conducted or intended to conduct to elucidate the responses of hosts, as if parasitized by cuckoos. These experiments were among the first to be conducted in an area of research where today experimentation is common.