Natural History Notes

  Male and juvenile Asian Koel The male Asian Koel might be mistaken for a crow by a normal person, but this rather large cuckoo can be distinguished by its broader tail, ivory-colored bill and striking red eyes which are visible up close. Juveniles lack the red eyes and females are primarily brown with paler streaks and spots. Unlike many native cuckoos, it avoids dense forests and instead seems to thrive in human settlements such as suburban areas, villages and agricultural lands. Female Asian Koel During the breeding season, the male becomes especially vocal, emitting its loud, distinctive call that sounds like its namesake, ko-el . Its call has also earned it local names, such as Kaa-waw bird in Thailand, Sewah Tahu in Malaysia and Burung Tuwur in Indonesia. As a brood parasite, this bird lays its eggs in the nests of other species, particularly crows and mynas, which share the same habitat. This breeding strategy allows it to conserve valuable energy that would otherwise be sp...

Unlike many cuckoos, the malkohas are not slender bodied nor do they have pointed wings. Instead, malkohas are relatively large birds ranging about 15 to 25 inches in length, with rounded wings and long graduated tail. They share the characteristics of cuckoos in having zygodactyl feet ; however, malkohas are not brood parasites, that is laying their eggs in the nest of other species of birds. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha primarily lives in the forest canopy. Only a few species of malkohas occurs here and most are restricted in this region. Chestnut-breasted Malkoha and Black-bellied Malkoha are among the commonest in the lowlands. Because of their cryptic nature and soft call which sounds like series of knocks, they are mostly overlooked. Yet, they are widespread in wooded areas including in plantations and villages where they may be seen gliding across rivers and rural roads. Black-bellied Malkoha has white tipped tail feathers. Raffles’s Malkoha, the smallest and t...

This heavy cuckoo appears like a crow and regularly walks on the ground like a pheasant, which possibly the reason why it is called Crow Pheasant. Also known as Greater Coucal ( Centropus sinensis ), adult individuals are easily identified by its dual colored plumage with red eyes, and large size up to 20 inches in length.  Adult Crow Pheasant or Greater Coucal Crow Pheasant inhabits areas with tall grasses and dense scrub, like those found along rivers and at the edges of forest, cultivation and villages. Despite its common occurrence, it is seldom seen because it spends much time inside thick bushes and tall grasses. Early in the morning or after rain showers are probably the easiest period to view this bird as it preens and dries itself in open perches. Most of the time, it is often heard than seen because it has an unmistakable call consisting of a series of loud booming notes. Crow Pheasant's habitat typically consists of grassland with scattered trees and bush...