The koel bird, known for its distinct call, is found across much of the Indian subcontinent. This migratory bird has regional names in the many languages spoken in India. In the Assamese language, spoken in the northeast Indian state of Assam, the koel goes by a few different names.
In Assamese, the koel is most commonly known as Kuwil. This name is thought to be an onomatopoeic rendering of the bird’s piercing call. The koel’s repetitive cry sounds like “koo-OO-oo,” which led to it being called Kuwil in Assamese.
Some other names used for the koel in Assamese include Kakuli, Kokila, and Koyal. These all refer to the same species of bird found in Assam and much of India, known scientifically as Eudynamys scolopaceus. The koel belongs to the family of cuckoos.
Physical Features of the Koel
The Asian koel is a medium-sized bird, measuring between 38-46 cm long. It has a strong curved bill with a blunt tip.
Plumage differs between male and female koels. Males have black plumage with a greenish gloss on the head and wings. The eyes are crimson and are surrounded by pale blue skin.
Females, in contrast, have brown plumage covered in white speckles and barring. The tail is darker brown with white spots. Females also have a pale yellowish bill.
Some key identification features of the koel include its olive-grey legs, white speckles on the wings, and a long tail. The koel’s wingspan is about 22-26 cm across.
Male and female koels are so different in appearance that they were once thought to belong to two separate species. However, they are now recognized as two sexes of the same bird.
Habits and Habitat
Koels are migratory birds that breed in India during summer. They fly from southern India all the way to Assam and other parts of northeast India. Their breeding season is from March to August.
Koels prefer living in well-wooded areas, forests, parks, and gardens. They especially like trees with dense canopies like bamboo clumps that provide good shade.
The koel is arboreal, spending most of its time sitting on branches high up in trees. It will occasionally descend to the ground to forage for food.
Koels are known to be parasitic breeders. The female koel lays its eggs in the nests of crows and other birds. The unsuspecting host birds raise the koel hatchlings as their own.
Male koels are known for their loud, piercing calls. Their incessant “koo-OO-oo” cries are a familiar sound, especially in the early mornings during breeding season. This repetitive call is how the koel likely got its Assamese name Kuwil.
Diet
Koels are omnivorous birds that will eat both plant matter and small insects or animals.
Their diet mainly consists of fruit. Wild figs, mulberries, grapes, guavas, and other fruits are favored by koels. They use their curved bill to pluck the fruits off trees and branches.
Insects like grasshoppers, beetles, and caterpillars are also sometimes eaten. The koel will occasionally eat reptiles like lizards or small amphibians as well.
To find water, the koel will visit rainwater puddles and pools left on large leaves after rainfall. It plunges its bill into the water to drink.
Koel in Assamese Culture
In Assam, the month of Bohag or Rongali Bihu in the Assamese calendar coincides with the arrival of the koels. Hearing the koel’s cries is seen as a sign that spring has arrived.
The koel holds a place in Assamese poetry and literature as a harbinger of the season. The bird’s incessant calls create a sense of romanticism in Assamese culture.
Folk music traditions in Assam feature the koel extensively. Bihu songs welcome the koel and its arrival in spring. Common motifs compare the bird’s melancholic melodies to the agony of separated lovers.
The koel is also associated with the awakening of youthful romantic desire in Assamese poetry. Many verses personify the koel as lamenting its separation from its lover under the chill of winter.
Overall, the seasonal migrant koel occupies a unique place in Assamese culture. Its distinct vocalizations resonate deeply with poetic and musical traditions celebrating spring and love. The koel remains intertwined with Assamese literature and the essence of Bohag Bihu.
Significance of Regional Names
The koel goes by many euphonious names in the languages of India like Kokila, Koyal, or Kujir.
In Assamese, it is regional names like Kuwil that really reflect the intimate ties of language, land, and ecology. Local names exemplify how peoples across India poetically connected to the birds inhabiting their landscapes.
Calling the koel Kuwil mimics the local renderings of its cries in Assam. Using this unique Assamese name thus reveals the differences in dialiect and onomatopoeia for the same species across regions.
The diverse colloquial namings reveal how languages adapted words to encapsulate meaningful sounds. These quickly evoke the aural essence of a bird and its relationship to human society and phonology.
India’s regional languages contain riches in their local vocabularies for nature. Unique names like Kuwil provide insights into the cultural perspectives on wildlife that developed locally over time. Appreciating these nuances can help deepen our bonds to the biodiversity that surrounds us.
Conclusion
To conclude, the migratory koel bird is called by various melodious names in Assamese including Kuwil, Kakuli, and Kokila. These names phonetically capture the koel’s beautiful springtime calls.
The arrival of the koel heralds the advent of Bihu, the Assamese New Year. This gives the bird profound cultural significance, reflected extensively in folklore, poetry, and music.
Regional Indian languages contain a wealth of evocative local names for species. These linguistic intricacies reveal close ties to ecology and can help us form deeper connections to the nature around us.
