Asian koel

Asian koel
Male (nominate race)
Female (nominate race)
Calls (recorded in Singapore)

Song of male, Maldives

Asian Koel (recorded in Kochi, India)

Male Asian Koel (recorded in Chon Buri, Thailand)
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Aves
Order: Cuculiformes
Family: Cuculidae
Genus: Eudynamys
Species:
E. scolopaceus
Binomial name
Eudynamys scolopaceus
The distribution of Asian koel in black[2]
Synonyms
  • Cuculus scolopaceus Linnaeus, 1758
  • Cuculus honoratus Linnaeus, 1766

The Asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus)[3][4] is a member of the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. It is found in the Indian Subcontinent, China, and Southeast Asia. It forms a superspecies with the closely related black-billed koels, and Pacific koels which are sometimes treated as subspecies. The Asian koel like many of its related cuckoo kin is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of crows and other hosts, who raise its young. They are unusual among the cuckoos in being largely frugivorous as adults.[5] The name koel is echoic in origin with several language variants. The bird is a widely used symbol in Indian and Nepali poetry.[6][additional citation(s) needed]

  1. ^ BirdLife International (2016). "Eudynamys scolopaceus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016: e.T22684049A93012559. doi:10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22684049A93012559.en. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
  2. ^ Johnsgard, PA (1997). The avian brood parasites: deception at the nest. Oxford University Press. p. 259. ISBN 0-19-511042-0.
  3. ^ David, N & Gosselin, M (2002). "The grammatical gender of avian genera". Bull B.O.C. 122: 257–282.
  4. ^ Penard, TE (1919). "The name of the black cuckoo" (PDF). Auk. 36 (4): 569–570. doi:10.2307/4073368. JSTOR 4073368.
  5. ^ Corlett, RT & IKW Ping (1995). "Frugivory by Koels in Hong Kong" (PDF). Mem. Hong Kong Nat. Hist. Soc. 20: 221–222. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2005-12-03. Retrieved 2008-11-04.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference hobson was invoked but never defined (see the help page).