The Asian Koel, Eudynamys scolopacea belongs to the cuckoo order of birds, the Cuculiformes. This species also consists of birds such as the roadrunners, the anis, and couas. Like other cuckoos it lays its eggs in the nest of other birds.
The koel bird is also called nightingale in India because of the melodious call of the Koel. The Asian Koel is a large-long tailed, cuckoo, which is forty-five centimeters in length. The male is bluish black in colour with a pale green bill, rich red eyes and grey legs and feet. The female has a brownish upper part and the lower parts are whitish in colour. The females have an olive or green beak and red eyes. It is a brood parasite, which lays its single egg in the nests of a variety of birds, which includes the Jungle Crow and the House Crow.
Koels are very vocal and make different types of calls. The Asian Koel is omnivorous, which consumes a variety of insects, caterpillars, eggs and small vertebrates. The adult Koel largely consumes fruits. It occasionally consumes eggs of small birds.
