why not consider joining in this week's fine feathered friends contest. this time the theme is black. here's the link: @nelinoeva/feathered-friends-show-me-a-8bfb1d8dd0fa9 check it out
please say hello to one of my dear friends, the asian koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus). the koel is a common bird throughout south and souteast asia even in cities. their loud melodic call ko- el ko- el with raised pitch is familiar to all people within its range. but being rather shy, particularly the females, they are not quite so easy to spot. luckily for us they are enormously fond of fruit so they are present in our garden daily.
this not quite mature male here is feasting on a chickoo (Manilkara zapota) which are plentiful year round. the white spots on his feathers are typical to a coming-of-age male. mature males are darker without spots and they have an unmistakably bright ruby red eye.
female birds are well camouflaged. the koel is a species of cuckoo so they are brood parasites. that means they don't nest. the male distracts the unsuspecting
victim host in order to give the female a chance to discretely sneak into their nest and quickly lay an egg or two. the koel egg hatches a couple of days before the host eggs so it assured a good start in life as the unknowing host strives to raise it. the female koel still keep an eye on their offspring though. when she gets a chance she may even steal a visit to the nest and feed her own young.
no need to feed this guy though. he is managing fine on his own.
typically, hosts in our area are house crows (Corvus splendens) which are both plentiful and aggressive so there is no need to perceive the crows as helpless victims.
back to our young hungry friend, he takes his time and relishes the meal. we put out water several places in the garden but the koel never bathe or drink there. presumably they get enough liquid from their fruit diet.
the koel are well liked and highly respected birds in india. there are many references to them in folklore, literature and music. if you ever watch an indian movie (other than bollywood) during the scenes in the villages you are are likely to hear the familiar ko- el call in the background. though when eating they remain silent. no reason to draw attention during a good meal.
no matter how many books you read about the koel you are not likely to find a photo or even a description of their tongue. but here you can see- it is as red as the eye. this young fellow sure is digging right in there. he must have been really hungry. this above photo is the contest entry.
all this eating does get a little tiring
better to stand up for a minute and let that chickoo settle down in the crop before it passes through the stomach into the gizzard where it will be finely ground and digested
okay back to it. here the sun is shining more on the breast so the brown color is much more visible. it is obvious that this handsome lad will soon be an adult.
younger males are very similar to this female here with spots all over the back and stripes on the breast and under the tail
still not finished eating! these teenagers sure have an appetite!
ko- el
