Birds of Ireland
3 summer visitors

The Willow Warbler is a common and widespread summer visitor to Ireland. It is found mainly in scrubby habitats but on migration it can be found in all kinds of cover. It is an inconspicuous little greenish bird, paler below and with a yellowish tinge on the breast of the young bird. The call is a distinctive "lui" and the song is a pleasant cascading warble.

Swallow
Hirundo rustica
Fáinleog

The Swallow is a familiar and widespread summer visitor. It is glossy blue-black on the upperparts, creamy on the underparts with brick-red head patches. There is a row of white spots on the tail which become obvious when the tail is opened and closed. This is deeply forked with very long outer streamers in the adult but not in the young bird. The flock calls with pleasant twittering.

Cuckoo
Cuculus canorus
Cuach

The Cuckoo is a rather mysterious bird, being much more often heard than seen. It is a summer visitor from winter quarters in Africa. Cuckoos like open country, where they search for the nests of potential foster parents for their offspring. The adult Cuckoo is grey above, white barred with black below and has a long barred tail. The young are rich brown and heavily barred all over. Cuckoos look particularly hawk-like in flight.