The Asian koel is better known by its voice than by its looks. The Asian koel stays almost completely atop trees and never comes down to ground. It is as big as a crow, but is leaner, with a longer tail. The famous koel song actually belongs entirely to the males. Females do not sing. Young male birds make harsh, crow-like sounds. But even the adults do not sing during winter.
The Asian koel is also a brood parasite. It leaves its eggs, which are slightly smaller, but similar to crow’s eggs, to be raised in crow’s nests. These birds feed on berries, banyan and peepal figs and hairy caterpillars.
Apart from the Indian sub-continent, these birds are also found in China and Southeast Asia. Earlier these birds were popularly raised in cages as pets.