Cuckoo, Cuckoo Lyrics
Ask the cuckoo what it does all year and it answers month by month, from opening its bill in April to flying off in August.
Cuckoo, Cuckoo
Cuckoo, Cuckoo,
What do you do?
"In April
I open my bill;
In May
I sing night and day;
In June
I change my tune;
In July
Away I fly;
In August
Away I must."
Printed from https://nurseryrhymes.co/cuckoo-cuckoo/
- Type
- Animal Rhymes
- Tune
- Spoken, as question and answer
- Best for ages
- 2 to 7 years
Hand Motions and Actions
| When you sing | Do this |
|---|---|
| In April I open my bill | Open and close your hand like a beak. |
| In May I sing night and day | Cup your hands round your mouth and call cuckoo. |
| In June I change my tune | Call again in a different voice. |
| In July Away I fly | Flap your arms and stretch up tall. |
| Away I must | Wave goodbye. |
What Does Cuckoo, Cuckoo Mean?
The cuckoo's year is told in five months, each paired with a rhyme word: April and bill, May and day, June and tune, July and fly, August and must. It matches the real bird fairly well. The common cuckoo reaches Britain in April, the male calls loudly through spring, and bird-watchers say the call turns hoarse and stuttering by midsummer, which is probably the "change of tune". Adults head south soon after, and the winter is spent in Africa.
History and Origin
Andrew Lang printed the rhyme in The Nursery Rhyme Book (1897). Old country sayings often followed the cuckoo through the months, because its first call was the sign that spring had arrived. Other cuckoo rhymes on this site include The Cuckoo Is a Bonny Bird and Cuckoo, Cherry Tree.
Learning Activities
- Month by month: count the five months on your fingers and say what the cuckoo does in each.
- Listen: find a recording of a real cuckoo call and compare it with the one you make.
- Your own bird: write a similar rhyme for another bird that comes and goes, like the swallow.