The black-billed koel is a species of cuckoo in the family Cuculidae. It is endemic to forest and woodland on the Indonesian islands of Sulawesi, Sula, Banggai, Togian and other smaller nearby islands. It has often been considered conspecific with E. scolopaceus, but they are increasingly treated as separate species. Unlike the black-billed koel, all other members of the common koel complex have a pale bill. The black billed koel voice a typical "koel!" call, or a short series of rising and falling "woo" notes.
Region
Wallacea (Indonesia)
Typical Environment
Endemic to Sulawesi and nearby island groups including the Sula, Banggai, and Togian Islands. Occupies primary and secondary lowland and hill forests, forest edge, and wooded mosaics. Also uses plantations, fruiting trees in villages, and overgrown gardens where canopy cover is present. It is typically canopy-associated but will descend to mid-story when feeding.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
A member of the cuckoo family, the black-billed koel is a brood parasite that lays its eggs in the nests of other birds. It is the only member of the koel complex with a distinctly black bill; most others have a pale or horn-colored bill. Its loud, carrying “ko-el!” and rising-and-falling woo calls are a familiar sound in Sulawesi’s forests.
Temperament
secretive but vocally conspicuous
Flight Pattern
strong, direct flight with rapid wingbeats between canopy perches
Social Behavior
Generally solitary or in loose pairs, especially during the breeding season. As a brood parasite, it does not build its own nest and instead lays eggs in the nests of other birds, typically larger passerines. Courtship involves persistent calling and chasing through the canopy.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Loud, ringing two-syllable calls often rendered as “ko-el!” repeated insistently. Also gives short series of rising and falling woo notes. Calls carry over long distances at dawn and dusk.
