Cuckoo dragons are a small species of dragons. Even grown adults are roughly the same size of juveniles of others species.

Their name is derived from their behavior, infiltrating the nests of other dragons like cuckoo birds. However, unlike cuckoo birds, who lay their eggs in the nests of other birds to have their young raised by unwitting foster parents, adult cuckoo dragons instead sneak into the nests of larger dragons in order to receive their protection and care.