Musical cuckoo clocks: melodies and animated figurines | Ma... Handcrafted · Black Forest·VdS certified·Careful delivery ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/en.svg) Language: EN [ ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/fr.svg) Français ](https://www.maison-du-coucou.fr/fr/guides/coucous-musicaux-melodies-et-figurines-animees) [ ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/en.svg) English ](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/en/guides/musical-cuckoo-clocks-melodies-and-animated-figurines) [ ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/de.svg) Deutsch ](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/de/führer/{führer}) [ ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/it.svg) Italiano ](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/it/guides/orologi-a-cucu-musicali-melodie-e-figurine-animate) [ ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/es.svg) Español ](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/es/guias/relojes-de-cuco-musicales-melodias-y-figuras-animadas) [ ![](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/flags/zh.svg) 简体中文 ](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/zh/guides/coucous-musicaux-melodies-et-figurines-animees) Light Dark [ ← All guides ](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/en/guides) Published on July 8, 2026 # Musical cuckoo clocks: melodies and animated figurines ![Musical cuckoo clocks: melodies and animated figurines](https://www.world-of-cuckoo.com/storage/media/390/conversions/atelier-musical-card_article.webp) © Hönes · Foto: Czybik At the cuckoo call sounded by the bellows every hour, some models add a melody and several animated figures. Here is how these musical mechanisms work. ## The musical movement On musical models, a cylinder movement is added to the basic movement (1 day or 8 days) and plays a melody just after the cuckoo call. Like the rest of the mechanism, it operates solely by the energy of the weights, without battery or electronic component. ## The animated figures The same movement drives the animated figures of the cuckoo: dancers who turn in rhythm, a woodcutter sawing wood, or a water wheel turning like on a mill. The more animated figures there are, the more elaborate the movement that drives them. ## The night shut-off Song, melody, and animated figures are also silent at night. On mechanical models, the stop lever manually suspends the chime and music at chosen hours. On quartz models, a light sensor takes over and automatically cuts the sound as soon as the room is dark. 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