
Watch it draw itself · tap to replay
How to Draw a Cuckoo
Draw a cuckoo in 12 easy steps, about 9 minutes. Free, with a printable worksheet.
Each picture adds one red line. Draw that line, then scroll to the next picture. Rub out any dashed helper lines at the end. First up: round head.
Step 1: Round head
Near the top left of your paper draw a big round head with a tiny chin bump.
Step 2: Slim beak
Start on the front of the head. Draw a triangle beak and stop on the head. Add a mouth line.
Step 3: Big eye
Behind the beak draw a big round eye. Fill it with a big black dot and leave a white shine.
Tip Leave a finger of cheek between the beak and the eye.
Step 4: Plump body
Start at the back of the head, curve down to the rump. Swing a fat belly back to the chin.
Step 5: Long fan tail
Start on the rump. Draw a long tail widening to 3 round tips. Stop on the tummy. Add 2 lines.
Step 6: Wing and chest bars
Start under the head. Draw a teardrop wing sweeping back to the rump. Add 3 short bars on the chest.
Step 7: Front leg and toes
Start on the tummy. Draw a short strong leg with 2 toes forward and one back. Stop on the tummy.
Step 8: Back leg and toes
A thumb behind it, draw a second leg and toes the same way. Leave a gap between the feet.
Step 9: The branch
Start at the left edge below the toes. Draw a long band across to the right edge, over each toe.
Step 10: Yellow ring and legs
Colour a thin yellow ring round the eye, then colour the legs and toes yellow. Leave the eye white.
Step 11: Grey head and back
Colour the head and back grey, around the yellow ring. The chest stays white.
Step 12: Dark wing, brown branch
Colour the wing, tail and beak dark grey, leaving 3 white spots. Colour the branch brown.

Your finished drawing
Follow the steps above and this is where you end up: a cuckoo, drawn by you.
Every step in one picture
