Asian Koel - BirdForum Opus

Male Asian Koel
Photo by anonymous_guy
Lamma Island, Hong Kong

Eudynamys scolopaceus

Identification

40-45cm
Male:

• Bluish-black
• Pale green bill
• Red eyes
• Grey legs and feet
  

Female:

• Brownish upperparts with white spots
• Whitish underparts heavily striped and spotted brown
• Olive or green beak
• Red eyes

Distribution

Female Asian Koel
Photo by 996sps
Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia, February 2007

Found from southern Asia, China, Indochina and Indonesia to New Guinea.

Taxonomy

Formerly also "Common Koel".

Asian Koel with thirteen subspecies were split from Australian Koel and Black-billed Koel by some authorities, however, others still think that the best treatment is to consider all three as one species which would then be named Common Koel, Eudynamys scolopacea.

At least one authority goes the other way and want to split subspecies orientalis (and other subspecies) from the rest of Asian Koel: the new species if accepted would become Pacific Koel, Eudynamys orientalis and would include Australian Koel.

Subspecies^[1]

Juvenile
Photo by bankim
Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, July 2005

• E. s. scolopaceus:

• Nepal to Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Laccadives and Maldives

• E. s. chinensis:

• Southern China and Indochina; winters to Borneo

• E. s. harterti:

• Hainan (southern China)

• E. s. malayanus (dolosa):

• North-eastern India to Thailand, Malaya, Sumatra, Borneo and Lesser Sundas

• E. s. simalurensis:

• Simeulue Island (off western Sumatra)

• E. s. frater:

• Northern Philippines (Calayan and Fuga)

• E. s. mindanensis:

• Philippines, Palawan, Sulu Archaepelago, Sangihe Island and Talaud Islands

• E. s. corvinus:

• Northern Moluccas (Morotai, Halmahera, Ternate, Tidore and Bacan)

• E. s. orientalis:

• Southern Moluccas (Buru, Manipa, Kelang, Seram, Ambon, Watubela)

• E. s. picatus:

• Kai Islands and Sumba to Timor and Roma

• E. s. rufiventer:

• New Guinea

• E. s. salvadorii:

• Bismarck Archipelago

• E. s. alberti:

• Solomon Islands

Habitat

Light woodland and on the fringes of urban areas, mangrove, scrub, plantations, orchards, gardens, parks, rare in forests

Behaviour

Breeding

These birds are what you call brood-parasitic, meaning it lays its eggs in nest of Large-billed Crow, and House Crow.

Diet

Whilst the adults feed mainly on fruit, their diet also includes insects, caterpillars, eggs and small vertebrates.

References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
2. Wikipedia
3. BF Member observations

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2025) Asian Koel. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 5 February 2025 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Asian_Koel

External Links

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