Asian Koel

The Koel called Kokil in Bengali, is the commonest and most familiar of Indian Cuckoos and is found in Tiruvannamalai District as well as the rest of India. 

Handsome Male Koel

Cuckoos are found all over the world, but are not numerous in species except in warm regions. They have slightly curved bills of moderate size, with conspicuous nostrils set low down and near the edge of the upper chap, and their toes are in two pairs, the outer front toe being turned backwards, as in Woodpeckers and Barbets. Tree-Cuckoos, which, in the East at all events, lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, have long wings and short legs, while Bush-Cuckoos, which always bring up their own young, have short wings and long legs suited for running; the Tree-Cuckoos on the rare occasions when they come to the ground, being only able to hop. Cuckoos usually have long rounded tails, and are very readily recognizable when a few have been seen. 

Close up of Male Koel

Cuckoos have peculiar notes and are generally more heard than seen. They generally feed on insects, and are exceedingly useful birds. Only in India are any Cuckoos commonly kept as cage-birds, they are not hard to rear, but require hand-feeding for a longer time than other birds. 

The Koel is about as big as a large pigeon, with a long rounded tail; its whole length being nearly a foot and a half, it measures 39–46 cm (15–18 in) and weighs 190–327 g (6.7–11.5 oz). It has a peculiar steady level flight which makes it easily recognizable. 

Male Koel

The cock and hen differ absolutely in colour, the former being a glossy blue-black, while the latter is brown, spotted with white on the head and back, and barred with that colour on the wings, tail and under parts; altogether she rather reminds one of a hen pheasant in colour. Both male and female have pale green bills, bright red eyes and lead-coloured feet. Young birds have black bills and grey eyes; in plumage they resemble adults of the corresponding sex, but not completely, young cocks being usually slightly marked with buff, and young hens having the head and top of the neck black. But there appears to be some variation, so that young cocks may be found in female plumage and vice versa. 

 Video of the song of the Koel

The Asian Koel is omnivorous, consuming a variety of insects, caterpillars, eggs and small vertebrates. However the adult bird feeds mainly on fruit. They will sometimes defend fruiting trees that they forage in and chase away other frugivores. They have been noted to be especially important in the dispersal of the sandalwood tree in India. Large seeded fruits are sometimes quickly regurgitated near the parent tree while small seeded fruits are ingested and are likely to be deposited at greater distances from the parent tree. They have a large gape and are capable of swallowing large fruits including the hard fruit of palms. 

Female Koel with distinctive colouring

This bird is much beloved by indigenous locals who admire the bird’s fine mellow call and it is with them quite a bird of romance with its glossy black plumage. The Koel deserves consideration from all, not only on account of its beauty and musical capacities, but for being one of the very few creatures which scores off the Crows, those birds being the foster-parents which it selects for its young. 

Beautiful photograph of male and female eating

The Asian Koel is a brood parasite and lays its egg in the nests of a variety of birds, including both the Jungle Crow and the House Crow, but the House Crow is the usual victim and the egg of the Koel is a miniature of a Crow's egg, being about an inch long, and green with brown spots. 

House Crow at its Nest

Sometimes two Koels' eggs may be found in one Crow's nest, and at times the big black Jungle-Crow has to do parental duty for the Koel. The most curious thing about the whole business is that the Crows, although they bring up the young Koel and feed it even after it has left the nest, yet evidently know there is something wrong, for they cherish a lively prejudice against the old Koels and hunt any Koel they can to death if they get the chance 

Koels breed from March to July, and at this time the call whence is derived its Hindustani name ''ko-eel ko-eel'' running up the scale, is one of the characteristic sounds of the country. Unfortunately the bird insists on calling at night as well as by day, and is rather apt at all times to be "instant out of season;'' whence thus many call the Koel, the Brain-fever Bird, and detest it accordingly. 

[Narrative taken from book by Frank Finn]

The Crow

Both the House Crow and Jungle Crow are to be found throughout Tiruvannamalai District. As I was sitting in my garden this afternoon I noticed both varieties feeding and generally taking over the area. Since I moved into this house nearly three years ago, I have regularly put food out for birds and animals but it was only about six months ago that the crows started to visit -- which was a pity because as I mention in the below posting both the House and Jungle Crows are great bullies to small ornamental birds.

I became so irritated with the 'Caw Caws,' as I nickname them, that I spoke with several farmers and villagers and also did some serious 'Goggling,' to find out how to deter both kinds of Crows visiting my garden. Well I found the most popular and supposedly 'fool proof' method practised in both India and the West is to kill a crow and hang it in a prominent spot -- meant to work like a charm -- but thought it a little too gruesome so went on to Plan B.

Plan B a local farmer assured me, was equally foolproof and that was to tie black rags in my trees at prominent spots. Well the day after this was done, I sat and waited to see what my regular Crow visitors would do. If ever a bird could look 'startled' -- that is exactly how I would describe the reaction of the visiting Crows. Well the black rags worked for about a day and a half and then the rags lost their dramatic impact, and the Crows happily returned in number.

Next I tried Plan C which was to tie shiny CD-Roms onto tree limbs and let them waive around in the wind. And the Crows actually didn't seem to like that especially on a sunny day (i.e. most days at Tiruvannamalai) when the revolving CDs shimmer and dazzle in the sunlight. Part two of Plan C (which I have yet to do) is to put wind chimes in the trees -- as this supposedly is meant to irritate Crows. We shall see!

In the meantime hope you enjoy the information and photographs I have gathered explaining the difference between two of the most numerous birds in Tiruvannamalai District i.e. the House Crow and the Jungle Crow.

House Crow
The House Crow (Corvus splendens) is a widespread resident of Tiruvannamalai District and can be found all over India except in high altitudes and forests. Its size is about that of a pigeon; around 42 cms with weight ranging between 250-350 gm. The bird has a glossy black plumage, except for its grey collar. Its bill, legs, and feet are black.

There are four geographical races of the House Crow which are based largely on paleness or darkness of the collar. Sexes alike. Its normal call is a harsh The voice is a harsh ‘caaa-caaa’ or a nasal ‘kaan kann’. It reserves its softer calls for resting and during courtship! Its name in Tamil is: Nalla Kaka, Maniyan Kakai

The bird is vocal, gregarious and seemingly unafraid of people. Audacious, cunning and uncannily wary. It is aggressive and will attack and chase off large birds of prey. Breeding pairs will repeatedly dive bomb humans near their nest. This species is able to make use of resources with great flexibility and appears to be associated with humans.

It is perhaps the most familiar bird of Indian towns and villages. It is a highly opportunistic bird and given its omnivorous diet, it can survive on nearly anything that is edible. It feeds largely on human scraps, small reptiles and other animals such as insects and other small invertebrates, eggs, nestlings, grain and fruits. Most food is taken from the ground, but also from trees as opportunity arises.

The House Crow is a useful scavenger but also a great bully and therefore a serious menace to defenseless ornamental bird species in urban areas. It enjoys community roosts in selected trees or groves where large numbers collect very night but is a solitary nester except in areas of high population density.

Its nest is generally a platform of twigs frequently intermixed with iron wire, with cuplike depression lined with tow, coir fibres. And in high density areas, sometimes there are several nests in the same tree. The House Crow will use trees, buildings, or other artificial structures for its rough stick nest lined with coir or other fibre. It lays 4-5 pale blue-green eggs, speckled with brown. Breeding season March through July. Its nest is regularly brood-parasitized by Asian Koel.

*********************************************


Jungle Crow
The Jungle Crow (Corvus macrorhynchos), or Indian Corby, is a widespread Asian species of Crow. It is highly adaptable and able to survive on a wide range of food sources. This bird has a large bill and due to this it is sometimes called Large-billed Crow or Thick-billed Crow. There are three sub-species within this group with one of them i.e. with Corvus (m.) Culminatus ‘Indian Jungle Crow’ being found in Tiruvannamalai District and other parts of India.

The bird is glossy jet black with a heavy bill and deep and horse ‘caw’. Sexes alike. Singly, pairs or loose parties. It is larger than the House Crow and is found throughout the Indian Union. Local Tamil names for it are Kaka and Kakam.

It is generally found in the countryside, but small numbers are also in towns and villages. The Jungle Crow associates with vultures to feed on carrion and its movements often lead to discovery of large cat kills hidden in the jungle which the bird is quick to locate. The bird is omnivorous, and highly destructive to eggs and chicks of other birds including domestic poultry and young of small mammals.

It has a long bill with the upper one thick and arched, making it look heavy and almost Raven-like. Generally, all forms have dark greyish plumage from the back of the head, neck, shoulders and lower body. Their wings, tail, face and throat are glossy black and the depth of grey shading is almost black. It will take food from the ground or in trees and attempts to eat anything, alive or dead, plant or animal. It is also one of the most persistent species. It is quite bold, especially in urban areas.

The nest is a platform of twigs, usually high up on a tree. There are normally 3-5 eggs. The egg is a broad oval, pointed at the smaller end. The colour is any shade of blue-green, blotched and speckled. In Peninsular India the Jungle Crow breeds from December to April. The nest is built in a fork of a tree, and is a shallow cup of sticks, sometimes neat and well made, sometimes sketchy and ragged; it is lined with grass roots, wool, rags, vegetable fibre, and similar materials. Some nests have been found to be built partly or exclusively of wire. Both sexes share parental duties. Nests frequently parasitized by Koel.

Gregarious at roosts with many thousands at some sites. Large flocks may be seen at dusk arriving at major roosts. The birds’ voice is deeper and more resonant than the House Crow with its usual sound being "caaa-caaa-caaa".