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Australian KoelAlternate name(s): "Cooee-bird", "Flinders Cuckoo", "Indian Koel", "Rainbird*", "Common Koel", "Pacific Koel", "Eastern Koel" Size: 40-46 cm Weight: 190-325 g |
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Similar |
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See Australian
Koel at Wikipedia ![]() |
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Photos |
Race "cyanocephalus"
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ADULT |
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MALE |
Close-up frontal/ventral portrait of a male Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of
V. Collins)
[Near Narrabri, NSW, November 2021]
Near-frontal/ventral view of a male Australian Koel in a native
fig tree issuing its
call
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Near-lateral view of a male Australian Koel; this is the bird
whose calls
were recorded on 11 January 2016
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Lateral view of a male Australian Koel with drooping wings
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, January 2020]
Lateral view of a male Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Gatton, QLD, December 2017]
Lateral/ventral view of a male Australian Koel in a native
fig tree
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Lateral/ventral view of a male Australian Koel in a native
fig tree
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Near-dorsal view of a male Australian Koel
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2022]
Dorsal view of a male Australian Koel
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2010]
Male Australian Koel accompanied by an upset
Little Friarbird
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2007]
The constant pestering had the desired effect, when the Australian
Koel first squawked in irritation...
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2007]
... before deciding that it was indeed better to move on
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2007]
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FEMALE |
Frontal view of a female Australian Koel on the ground
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Sydney, NSW, January 2019]
Partly obsured frontal view of a female Australian Koel in a Californian
peppertree
[Eulah Creek, NSW, December 2006]
Frontal/ventral view of a female Australian Koel in an Acacia salicina tree; this
bird's calls
were recorded on 11 January 2016
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Near-frontal view of a female Australian Koel on the ground
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Sydney, NSW, January 2019]
Near-lateral view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, January 2020]
Lateral view of a female Australian Koel looking towards the observer
(photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, January 2011]
Close-up lateral portrait of a female Australian Koel; this bird's
calls were recorded
on 11 January 2016
[Eulah Creek, NSW, January 2016]
Lateral view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, January 2011]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Australian Koel in a native
fig tree
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Lateral/ventral view of a female Australian Koel
[Eulah Creek, NSW, October 2022]
Near-dorsal view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, January 2020]
Dorsal view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Anstead, QLD, January 2020]
Ventral view of a female Australian Koel in a native
fig tree
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
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PAIR |
The two following photos were taken when a female Australian Koel attracted attention to itself by issuing loud calls from the top of a tree. When disturbed there by a Magpie-lark, it flew into another tree, from where a male had been answering its calls.
Caught "in the act" - Australian Koel mounting a female
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]
Here the male and female Australian Koel go their separate ways again
[Eulah Creek, NSW, November 2007]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Near-frontal/ventral view of a juvenile Australian Koel in a native
fig tree
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Near-lateral/ventral view of a juvenile Australian Koel
wiping clean its bill
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Lateral view of a juvenile Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, February 2018]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Eastlakes Golf Course, Sydney, NSW, February 2018]
Race "subcyanocephalus"
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MALE |
Close-up frontal view of a male Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, December 2020]
Close-up near-dorsal view of a male Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of J. Boettcher, FNQ Nature Tours)
[Cattana Wetlands, Cairns, QLD, December 2020]
This ventral view of an Australian Koel shows that they have
only 10, albeit wide and long, tail feathers
(photo courtesy
of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD]
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FEMALE |
Close-up frontal view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Victoria River, Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]
Close-up frontal view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of P. Brown)
[Victoria River, Keep River NP, NT, November 2018]
Frontal view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, November 2011]
Close-up lateral view of a female Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, October 2007]
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IMMATURE/JUVENILE |
Lateral view of a juvenile male Australian Koel moulting into
its first adult plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, April 2020]
Lateral view of a juvenile male Australian Koel moulting into its
first adult plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2011]
Lateral view of a juvenile male Australian Koel moulting into its first adult
plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2011]
Near-dorsal view of a juvenile male Australian Koel moulting into
its first adult plumage
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2011]
Close-up near-frontal view of a juvenile Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2011]
Close-up lateral view of a juvenile Australian Koel
(photo courtesy of R. Russell)
[Mount Molloy, QLD, March 2011]
Two different views of a juvenile Australian Koel -
click on image to see the bird with its head turned
(photos courtesy of L. Tonnochy)
[Near Townsville, QLD, January 2011]
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Behaviour |
Social behaviour: ? | Mobility: Migratory | Elementary unit: Solitary/pair |
Together with other birds marking the boundaries of their territory by calling from vantage points, we noticed that the local Australian Koels were quiet for two days during a late cold snap in late October 2008.
It is our experience that male Australian Koels do not like to be approached, while females - probably because they are used to a lot of attention by adversaries - will stay around and even study the opposition (see the lateral portrait of a female above).
Juvenile Blue-faced
Honeyeater helping to feed a chick - only
it isn't quite a sibling, but a juvenile Australian Koel instead
(photo courtesy of N. Maclean)
[Noosaville, QLD, June 2016]
Female Australian Koel on the ground showing its displeasure
by raising its erectile crest when being pestered by a
Yellow-faced Honeyeater
(photo courtesy of B. Hensen)
[Sydney, NSW, January 2019]
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Food, Diet |
Unlike most other cuckoos, Australian Koels are fruit eaters.
Female Australian Koel taking a native
fig
(photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Near Yamba, NSW, January 2021]
Pair of Australian Koels feasting on a banana (photo courtesy
of R. Russell)
[Mt. Molloy, QLD, November 2014]
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Call(s)/Song |
For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The
interpretation of their meaning is our own;
comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.
comkoel_art_20131213.mp3 |
cyanocephalus (SE QLD) |
Contact calls? (male) | © ART | |
comkoel_20171116_3.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Male calling female ("cooee") | © MD | |
comkoel_20221011.mp3 |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Male calling female ("cooee") | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Male "cooee" calls + Apostlebird reaction | © MD | |
comkoel_20180131_3.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Contact calls? (female) | © MD | |
comkoel_20180131_2.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Pair Q&A (simultaneous) | © MD | |
comkoel_20180131.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Pair Q&A (Female first) | © MD | |
comkoel_20170121.mp3 |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls, pair | © MD | |
comkoel_20170121_2.mp3 |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Alarm calls (human) | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111_6.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Pair upsetting various species | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111_2.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Male upseting Apostlebirds | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111_7.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Female annoyed/upset (by Magpie-lark) | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111_11.mp3 |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Female annoyed/upset (by Magpie-lark & Apostlebird) | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111_14.mp3 |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Female attacked (by Magpie-lark) | © MD | |
comkoel_20160111_3.m4a |
cyanocephalus (NW NSW) |
Female chased away by Magpie-larks and Apostlebirds | © MD | |
comkoel_pb_20201112.m4a |
subcyanocephalus (Top End, NT) |
Male calling female ("cooee") | © PB | |
comkoel_pb_20190828.m4a |
subcyanocephalus (Top End, NT) |
Contact calls? (female) | © PB | |
comkoel_pb_20201205.m4a |
subcyanocephalus (Top End, NT) |
Q&A (3 birds) | © PB |
More Australian (Pacific) Koel sound recordings are available at
xeno-canto.org
.