He has served his species with distinction, making a contribution to science that will inform future generations of researchers.
But Stanley, one of the British Trust for Ornithology's (BTO) satellite-tagged research cuckoos, has made his last journey home.
The Norfolk bird was tagged in May 2014, since completing two migration cycles which have provided invaluable information.
But last week, on a track near Feltwell, a passer-by found a bird's leg bearing a BTO metal ring - with the ring's unique number confirming it was Stanley's.
Paul Stancliffe, BTO spokesman, said it was likely Stanley was taken by a predator.
'It is always sad when we lose one of our Cuckoos but for us Stanley was the local bird, being tagged so close to our headquarters here in Thetford, and so it was doubly sad,' he said.
He added: 'Although a very sad end to a magnificent bird, the information that Stanley has given us helps us to understand the pressures our Cuckoos are facing.'
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