How to Say "Cuckoo" in Spanish

cuco

/ˈkuko/masculine

The English word 'cuckoo' can be translated into Spanish as cuco. Wiktionary also lists cuclillo and críalo.

Meaning: the bird (noun)

Ways to say it

This term refers to the bird of the cuckoo family.

cuclillo is another masculine noun used to refer to the bird.

All provided forms are masculine nouns.

/ˈkuko/

Because of the 'boogeyman' association, saying something is cuco can be ambiguous, meaning either 'adorable' or 'scary' depending on the region.
In Spanish folklore, the 'boogeyman' is often called el Coco, which is a linguistic relative of cuco.
The name for the bird, cuclillo, is actually a diminutive form of cuco, making the word for the bird literally a 'little cuckoo'.

Ese pájaro es un cuco
That bird is a cuckoo
El cuco o pájaro cuclillo es conocido por su peculiar canto
The cuckoo, or cuclillo bird, is known for its peculiar song
Escuché cucú, cucú en el bosque
I heard cuckoo, cuckoo in the forest
Existe una gran diversidad de especies de cuco en el mundo
There is a great diversity of cuckoo species in the world
¡Mira, allí está el cucú en la rama del árbol!
Look, there's the cuckoo on the tree branch!
Escuché el canto del cuco.
I heard the song of the cuckoo.
Ese cuco tiene plumas grises.
That cuckoo has gray feathers.

Sofía and Mateo are walking in a park.

Sources

⭐Share⭐ to appreciate human effort 🙏