I saw a cuckoo laying on open ground on a woodland path today.

not sure what's up with the bird but it sounds like you did the right thing

try >>>/an/

>>794983
Thank you, made a post.

>>794975
I've seen birds like this, usually blackbirds. My guess is they're young and don't have the fly away reflex. Sounds like you did right, but I wonder if it'll be able to feed itself. It sounds like it's relying on being fed.

>>794987
I'd already found a dead cuckoo from a stone's throw away from that exact spot, so if it's an illness it's probably dying.

How big are baby cuckoos at this time of the year in Europe?

>>794992
I have never seen a cuckoo in real life, my experience was/is with blackbirds.

There is currently a family of blackbirds in my back yard, and the young bird is pretty much as big as the adult now. The only difference is it still has brown, flecked feathers and dark colored beak, rather than the jet black feathers and yellow beak of a mature bird. The adult is still doing all the hunting, it hops around pecking for worms and the younger one hops around after it opening it's mouth. About 25-50% of the adults catches go directly to babby.
It's very cute to watch.

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My rule is if you can kill a bird you should. Put it out of its misery quickly because it's not going to survive in nature.

>>794975
Fledgling birds leave the nest before they're able to fly. Usually their parents are nearby keeping an eye on them. You should maybe have moved it off the path but not put it higher.

In general, leave grounded birds alone unless they're clearly injured.

>>795147
You're an idiot.