A new cuckoo of the mango, neem & banyan groves of the hot humid lands of the plains has joined the company of our local birds from the start of this summer.
It is Koel, a favourite of many a Hindi / Urdu poet, for its melodious calls. Maintaining its distinct identity by colour & calls it has adapted to the new conditions around.
The arrival of this brood parasite has, however, given out a strong signal of the climate change in the mountains with disastrous consequences in attendance in future.
Interestingly we do have been having a native bird of the cold climes locally called gudgole indistinguishable from koel in colour & size from beak to tail except that both have altogether a different tone.
The gudgole ( gud means stream ) unlike koel mostly remains away from the groves or orchards. It is generally found along the streams resting on the water-smoothened boulders & stones.
Contrary to the koel, gudgole while flying makes intermittent shrill calls which sound like a sharp whistle.
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