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Cuckoo takes a surprising route
A cuckoo has migrated using a different route

The migration habits of a cuckoo caused surprise last week when it was tracked by satellite to investigate migration habits.

The bird, known as Lyster, was expected to fly towards Africa by heading west around the Sahara Dessert, as it did last year. However, the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) tracked him 1,000km east, on the Algerian coast.

It is thought that Lyster found Algeria a suitable habitat on his way to the UK from Africa earlier this year, and took this route due to more favourable conditions. It is otherwise believed that he may have simply drifted off course.

'[The BTO] expected Lyster to follow the same route as last year, but to our surprise it was 1,000 east after an extraordinary 500km crossing of the Mediterranean Sea,' said Paul Sandliffe, part of the BTO cuckoo-tracking team.

Lyster is one of five birds originally tagged n 2011 by the BTO, however only signals from him and another cuckoo called Chris remain. They have this year tagged another 11 cuckoos.The BTO are hoping this will provide an insight as to why there has been a 50% decline in British cuckoos over the last 25 years.

Lyster is still making his journey to Africa, and is expected to stay in the Congo Basin rainforest for the winter.

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Practices urged to audit neutering data

News Story 1
 RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.

It follows the release of the 2024 NASAN benchmarking report, which collates data from neutering procedures performed on dogs, cats and rabbits.

The benchmarking report enables practices in the UK and Ireland to compare their post-operative outcomes to the national average. This includes the rate of patients lost to follow-up, which in 2024 increased to 23 per cent.

Anyone from the practice can submit the data using a free template. The deadline for next report is February 2026.

Visit the RCVS Knowledge website to complete an audit. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
RCVS pays tribute to well-loved equine vet

The RCVS and the Riding Establishments Subcommittee has paid tribute to well-loved veterinary surgeon and riding establishment inspector, Rebecca Hamilton-Fletcher MRCVS.

Linda Belton MRCVS, RCVS President, said: "I, along with my colleagues on the RESC, RCVS Council, RCVS Standards Committee, as well as RCVS staff, was very saddened to hear of the sudden death of Rebecca, or Becca as we knew her, last week.

"She was a true advocate for equine welfare and in her many years on the RESC worked to continually improve the quality and consistency of riding establishment inspections, all in the interests of enhanced horse welfare and rider safety."