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Koel and rain

on 7th April 2007

Cuckoos in folklore are known as weatherbirds. And in most continents they are known as “rainbirds” or ‘stormbirds” because they call incessantly early in the rainy season. Koels, being cuckoos, are similarly known as rain- or stormbirds.

The call of the koel and the coming rain may be coincidental. In Queensland, with the coming of summer, so does the rain. This is also the time when the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea) starts calling day and night. But the bird calls only because it is the breeding season, not because of the coming rain.

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In my area koel is commonly heard mostly between mid-October to February, after which it can be heard only occasionally.

Three times within the last two weeks I heard the call of the koel just before and during rain. The first time was during a light drizzle in the late afternoon; then during a heavier drizzle in the evening. In this latter case the bird was taking shelter in a nearby tree. The third time it called just as lightning was flashing and thunder was rolling. The rain was just beginning to fall. But once it started to rain, the bird was quiet.

Then this afternoon, when it was raining not too heavily, a male Asian Koel suddenly flew into my terap tree (Artocarpus odoratissimus). The leaves are large and they provide ample shelter against the rain. The koel belted out a few calls that attracted my attention. The moment I took a look, it stopped calling. It must have seen me first. Then I caught a glimpse of it moving to another branch. After this I could not locate it but it was definitely there.

As the bird was calling koel-koel-kole, the rain fell heavier. Then came the thunder and the lightning. And then the call stopped.

Now, is all these also coincidental? Is there any connection between the call of the koel and rain? The problem is that the bird also calls when there is no rain. But then, when it rains, you do not hear the calls of other birds.

Or do you?

YC Wee
Singapore
April 2007

If you like this post please tap on the Like button at the left bottom of page. Any views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors/contributors, and are not endorsed by the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM, NUS) or its affiliated institutions. Readers are encouraged to use their discretion before making any decisions or judgements based on the information presented.

YC Wee

Dr Wee played a significant role as a green advocate in Singapore through his extensive involvement in various organizations and committees: as Secretary and Chairman for the Malayan Nature Society (Singapore Branch), and with the Nature Society (Singapore) as founding President (1978-1995). He has also served in the Nature Reserve Board (1987-1989), Nature Reserves Committee (1990-1996), National Council on the Environment/Singapore Environment Council (1992-1996), Work-Group on Nature Conservation (1992) and Inter-Varsity Council on the Environment (1995-1997). He is Patron of the Singapore Gardening Society and was appointed Honorary Museum Associate of the Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum (LKCNHM) in 2012. In 2005, Dr Wee started the Bird Ecology Study Group. With more than 6,000 entries, the website has become a valuable resource consulted by students, birdwatchers and researchers locally and internationally. The views and opinions expressed in this article are his own, and do not represent those of LKCNHM, the National University of Singapore or its affiliated institutions.

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