Cuckoos

[Briggsy]

I live in a very built-up area of Bangkok with almost no trees left.

However I enjoy hearing the call of 2 common species of cuckoos that have managed to survive in the urban jungle. And despite the concrete sprawl, wherever you live in Bangkok, you too can hear them. They're here all year round but at this time of the year they're quite noisy as they're looking for a mate.

The first one is the call of the common koel. It is a very loud and often-repeated "ga-WOW". It is piercing and something of an acquired taste. The same bird also has a bubbling call which lasts about 2 seconds and rises in pitch. Despite being quite large, these birds are usually not seen by the casual observer as they tend to get inside the foliage. The males are black and the females are a mottled brown.

The second cuckoo is heard less often but I heard one this morning in this concrete jungle. It is the plaintive cuckoo. The call is 3 or 4 distinct notes descending in pitch. The 4th or 5th note commonly runs into a falling slur. The notes are described as plaintive or mournful hence the name of the cuckoo.

Particularly if you live near a park or large trees you will be able to hear these birds.