Koel-ing Out Loud!

Found it! I have found what my Mystery Guest Couple is now.

From my previous post Squawking A Mystery! these are Asian Koels or Eudynamys scolopacea from a website I googled called Answers.com.

As suspected, the incandescent blue-back plumage is a male, while the chestnut brown with distinctive white and light brown stripes is a female. Both have blood-red eyes and a not-so-nice way of procreation method, termed as a brood parasite.

True to the cries of the crows, the males would call onto its female companion to lay a single egg in empty nests. They prefer crows nests, while the crows are not home.

These will trick the crows into rearing their young alongside the crows own chicks, since the size between these Asian Koels and Crows are about the same. The hatchling is not known to compete with its adopted siblings to survive and will sound just like a crow for a while until its instinctive personality kicks in.

This bird species is not in any immediate danger of extinction. This is a good thing, considering the parents' lack of responsibility on their young.

To view more stunning photos, I came across an impressive photo gallery from a local pro photographer and an avid bird watcher called NatureStops owned by Paul Huang.

Another interesting local site with personal narrative is called Easy Bird-Watching Guide by John Lynn.

This combination of talent and a love for nature has resulted in a website that makes me happy that Singapore is still alive with beautiful and colourful birds surviving free in the wild, amid the small land mass shrouded with concrete jungle.

Yes. I am at peace now that this mystery is solved... until something else comes along, flying by or whatever, I am enjoying myself as much either cuddled on the sofa watching our movies or listening to the rain drops as I blog. All made possible by the monsoon season.

Happy Holidays Everyone!