Other Scientific Names
Eudynamys scolopacea [Sibley and Monroe (1990, 1993)], Eudynamys scolopacea [BirdLife International (2004)]
Other Names (World)
Western Koel, Asian Koel, Asian Koel (scolopacea group), Common Koel, Black-billed Koel (melanorhyncha), Australian Koel (cyanocephala group), Blue-headed Koel (cyanocephala group)
Habits
Singly, in twos and occasionally in small groups. Skulking.
Food
Native and introduced fruits and berries. Also insects.
Voice
A very loud, territorial, 'ko-el', repeated with increasing emphasis. Also a loud, descending, bubbling 'wreep-wreep-wreep-wreep-wreepwreepwreep...' or 'breep-breep-breep-breep-breepbreepbreep...'.
Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) [XC555554]
by Okamoto Keita Sin from Wang\u2019an Township, Penghu County, Taiwan Province, Taiwan (call, song)
Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) [XC163888]
by Rajgopal Patil from Bardez (near Calangute), North Goa, Goa, India (song)
Nest
None. Egg(s) laid in that of the foster parents. The most common species are Large-billed Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) and House Crow (Corvus splendens).
Eggs (Guide)
1; resemble those of host; 32 x 24 mm.
Young
Altricial, nidicolous.
Subspecies
Genus name sometimes incorrectly spelt Eudynamis. Australian birds are sometimes treated as a separate species (Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis)), and black-billed populations of Sulawesi to Moluccas and New Guinea as another (Black-billed Koel (Eudynamys melanorhynchus)). However, while both rufiventer and subcyanocephala are present in New Guinea they are not known to breed sympatrically as two distinct species. Two forms (orientalis, cyanocephala?) occur on Seram, but it is unknown if both breed there. Songs and calls appear to be similar for all forms throughout their collective range.
Birds on Andaman and Nicobar Is are sometimes recognized subspecifically (dolosa), but overlap occurs with malayana of Malaysia and Sumatra.
The following 17 subspecies are recognised:
scolopacea (Linnaeus, 1758) - Nepal, Pakistan and India to Sri Lanka, Laccadives and Maldives.
chinensis Cabanis & Heine, 1863 - Southern China and Indochina. Winters south to Borneo.
harterti Ingram, W, 1912 - Hainan.
malayana Cabanis and Heine, 1863 - Eastern India and Bangladesh, through Myanmar, Thailand and Peninsular Malaysia to Andaman and Nicobar Is, Sumatra and Bangka, Borneo and Lesser Sundas (Lombok, Sumbawa, Flores).
simalurensis Junge, 1936 - Simeulue and off-lying islands of Kokos and Babi (off north-western Sumatra).
frater McGregor, 1904 - North-eastern Philippines (Calayan and Fuga).
mindanensis (Linnaeus, 1766) - Talaud and Sangihe Is to Philippines (including Palawan).
melanorhyncha S. Müller, 1843 - Sulawesi. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Black-billed Koel (Eudynamys melanorhynchus).
facialis Wallace, 1863 - Sula Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Black-billed Koel (Eudynamys melanorhynchus).
orientalis (Linnaeus, 1766) - Southern Moluccas to northern, eastern Australia. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis).
picata S. Müller, 1843 - Kai Is and Sumba to Timor and Roma.
rufiventer (Lesson, 1830) - New Guinea. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis).
salvadorii Hartert, 1900 - Bismarck Archipelago. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis).
alberti Rothschild and Hartert, 1907 - Solomon Is. Considered by some authors to be a subspecies of Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis).
subcyanocephala Mathews, 1912 - Northern Australia east to western Queensland; migrant to New Guinea. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis).
cyanocephala (Latham, 1801) - Northern Queensland to New South Wales. Considered by some authors to be a distinct species, Eastern Koel (Eudynamys orientalis).
The Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Pizzey, G., and Knight, E., 1997, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 19691 5
Field Guide to Australian Birds Morecombe, M., 2000, Steve Parish Publishing Pty Ltd. ISBN 1 876282 10 X
Field Guide to the Birds of Australia Simpson, K., and Day, N., 1999, 6th Edition, Viking ISBN 0 670 87918 5
Reader's Digest Complete Book of Australian Birds 1988, 2nd Edition, Reader's Digest ISBN 0 949819 99 9
What Bird is That? 1984, Revised Edition, Angus & Robertson, Sydney ISBN 0 207 14846 5
Handbook of Australian, New Zealand & Antarctic Birds 1990 - , Oxford University Press, Melbourne ISBN 0 19 553244 9
BirdLife International Species Factsheet