Secrets of Nature: The Cuckoo's Secret
(1922)
An absorbing exploration of this song bird's reproductive habits, The Cuckoo's Secret was the first film in Secrets of Nature, an innovative set of single reeled educational films released by British Instructional Films (BIF).
Produced by passionate research ornithologist, Edgar Chance, the film takes advantage of his long study in this area, providing an informative and incredibly intriguing account of cuckoo behaviour. Changing the public's perception of how cuckoos reproduce, remarkable photography from Edward Hawkins records these well-known harbingers of spring as they lay their eggs directly in the nests of other birds.
The success of The Cuckoo's Secret paved the way for future Secrets of Nature series, and over the next eleven years BIF produced numerous thorough and academic documentaries. Described by filmmaker, historian and critic Paul Rotha in 1930 as "the sheet anchor of the British film industry", the collection went on to celebrate many aspects of Britain's beautiful natural history.
Secrets of Nature: The Sparrow-Hawk (1922)
Oliver Gregory Pike
