Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus), is a well known and popular bird in India. This is a resident breeder of Indian subcontinent, China and Southeast Asia. The male bird is glossy black with light green bill and the female is dark brown with white and buff spots. The iris colour of the adult bird is crimson while the juveniles have darker iris. Though this bird is famous for its sweet call in the spring season, it can be hardly spotted as it likes to hide on the canopy.
Habitat of Asian Koel:
Asian Koel is an inhabitant of woodlands and gardens near human habitations. This bird has a very strong colonizing capacity. The first entry of this bird in Singapore was in the year 1980 and by now it has become a common bird in that country.
Behavior:
Asian Koel never makes a nest. It lays a single egg in the nest of variety of birds including House crows, Jungle Crows and other host birds. In India it mainly parasites House crow and Jungle crow. After hatching, the chick is brought up by the host birds along with their own brood. This phenomenon is called ‘brood parasitisim’. This is the State bird of the Indian State of Jharkhand.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), has categorized this bird as Least Concern in their Red list.
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