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Song & Call Comparison
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Song & Call Comparison
Black-billed Koel
Gesang
Loud, resonant call with musical quality; rich carrying notes given from tall forest tree in Borneo.
Western Koel
Gesang
Loud, far-carrying nasal call; distinctive penetrating notes audible through dense tropical forest. Vocalization pattern typical of this species in its native habitat.
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Geographic Range & Migration
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Conservation Status Comparison
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Erhaltungsstatus
Not Evaluated
Black-billed Koel
Least Concern
Western Koel
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Identification Tips — How to Tell Them Apart
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How to Tell Them Apart
Black-billed Koel
Gefieder
Golden Bronze-cuckoo: golden-bronze iridescence; white barred underparts; golden-green head; bronze sheen; small Pacific cuckoo
Western Koel
Gefieder
Shining Bronze-cuckoo: brilliant iridescent golden-green above; white barred below; bronze-green head; reddish eye; small size
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About Each Bird (Descriptions)
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Black-billed Koel (Eudynamys melanorhynchus) — 38–44 cm. Male glossy black with a dark bill (unlike related koels with pale bills); female similar to Western Koel female. Endemic to Sulawesi and Sula Islands in Indonesia. Brood parasite; hosts include corvids. Frugivore and insectivore.
Western Koel (Eudynamys scolopaceus) — 39–46 cm. Male glossy black; female brown with white spots and barred underparts; red eye. Widespread from South Asia through mainland Southeast Asia. Brood parasite targeting crows and mynas. Frugivore and insectivore. Its rising wailing call heralds the Indian summer.
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Related Comparisons
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More Birds in Family
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