AnimalsThe koel is a cuckoo famous for the male's rising "koo-oo" call, heard before the rains. The male is glossy black with red eyes. The female is brown and spotted. The koel lays its eggs in the nests of crows, which raise the young.
Quick facts
- Scientific name
- Eudynamys scolopaceus
- Group
- Birds
- Diet
- Omnivore (eats plants and animals)
- Lives in
- South and South-East Asia
- Habitat
- Groves, gardens and woodland
- A young one is called
- chick
- A group is called
- no special name
- Conservation status
- Least Concern
How it is classified
Scientists sort living things into groups within groups. Reading down, each step is a smaller group, ending with the species itself.
- Kingdom Animalia
- Phylum Chordata
- Class Aves
- Order Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae
- Genus Eudynamys
- Species Eudynamys scolopaceus
Classification follows the GBIF Backbone Taxonomy. Other reference works arrange some groups differently. How classification works.
Is it in danger?
The Asian koel is listed as Least Concern. The species is widespread or numerous enough that it is not considered at risk of extinction at present.
This is the IUCN Red List category as recorded in Wikidata on 11 November 2026. The IUCN Red List itself is the authority and may carry a newer assessment. What the categories mean.