Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm

In this paper a novel evolutionary algorithm, suitable for continuous nonlinear optimization problems, is introduced. This optimization algorithm is inspired by the life of a bird family, called Cuckoo. Special lifestyle of these birds and their characteristics in egg laying and breeding has been the basic motivation for development of this new evolutionary optimization algorithm. Similar to other evolutionary methods, Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm (COA) starts with an initial population. The cuckoo population, in different societies, is in two types: mature cuckoos and eggs. The effort to survive among cuckoos constitutes the basis of Cuckoo Optimization Algorithm. During the survival competition some of the cuckoos or their eggs, demise. The survived cuckoo societies immigrate to a better environment and start reproducing and laying eggs. Cuckoos' survival effort hopefully converges to a state that there is only one cuckoo society, all with the same profit values. Application of the proposed algorithm to some benchmark functions and a real problem has proven its capability to deal with difficult optimization problems. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.