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Asian Koel comfort call?

on 6th January 2012

“Taking a walk in the drizzle today, I heard the usual call of the Asian Koel (Eudynamys scolopacea). Looking up, I saw a pair of koels in a bare tree (above). The female koel is on the left.

“It seems strange to me why the male koel was calling so loudly (see video above), apparently to the female on another branch in the same tree just 2 m away. Birds usually have softer comfort calls. The possibility that it was calling to another bird further away dissipated, when the calling bird stretched its wings apparently in comfort behaviour while still calling loudly. In any event, I did not see or hear any other koels in the vicinity of this pair.”

Lena Chow
Singapore
221211

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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9 Responses

  1. The calls is the typical territorial calls that gave koels the name, but definitely called in a softer tone. Territorial calls are often used as courtship calls as well.

    1. The calls do not sound loud or harsh or excited as the male Koels use when declaring or defending their territory. in addition, the behaviour of the male (spreading the wings and tail feathers clearly indicates that it is wooing the female.

      1. yup, definitely softer, as I mentioned, territorial calls often carry message for courtship as well, so it does seemed likely so in this case, since it only need to convey the message to closer female, it does not need to “shout out” that loud, unlike when it is declaring a territory.

  2. Appreciate the post from Lena. I have been listening to Koels daily as they live in the neighbourhood. Definitely not “conflict” territorial calls, as these are usually louder, varied, there is another male nearby, and often go on for hours. But the male Koel does call in a mournful way usually at dusk and dawn during the breeding season. They could be calls related to breeding as well as advertising to another male some territorial distance.

  3. Thanks everyone for your interesting insights. I didn’t know December was breeding season, thought that was typically March to July. Anyhow will keep an eye and ear out for more calls, and hopefully be able to record them.

  4. Hi, Lena

    In Singapore House Crows nest and breed throughout the year. It is reasonable to expect Asian Koel’s breeding to tie in with that of the crows.

    1. Yes that would be a reasonable assumption. Wonder if anyone has actually seen juve koels outside the March-July period?

      1. A pair of House Crows was nesting in my palm in Oct 2003, Jan, April, July and Sept 2004. The first three nesting periods saw one or more juvenile Asian Koels emerging from the crow’s nest. The last two nesting resulted in problems when eggs were found at the base of the tree. Yes, Chong Hong is right – House Crows breed throughout the year. And koels take advantage of this to lay their eggs in the crow’s nest.

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