22/02/2009 an Asian Koel at Abdali Farms a first for Kuwait and the WP

Ouda Al-Bathalie a member of Kuwait Birding forum has asked me to see what he thinks a new bird for Kuwait at his farm. This morning Rashed and I went to his farm and photographed the bird it turned out to be an Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus, a first winter.

Asian Koel has been recorded twice in Bahrain (has not been accepted yet), eight times in UAE between 1996 and 2006, and is an uncommon and irregular winter visitor to Oman with a mximum of six birds, birds are  mostly seen at Masirah.

This bird has not been seen at Kuwait Bird Market according to Ouda Al-Bathalie who owns a bird shop at this Market. Further, no birds have been imported to Kuwait since the breakout of avian flu. The bird being a first winter, as the white tips to greater coverts and in breast indicate this age, also being a parasitic bird that parasites on Crows and Mynas would make it difficult to breed in captivity or even impossible. It must have flown to Kuwait from its breeding ground naturally.

The heavy yellowish green hooked bill, unforked heavy rounded tail, yellowish green legs, and gape reaches under eye excludes any other forms of Drongo.

This constitutes a first record for Kuwait and the Western Palearctic as defined by BWP by Cramp and Simmons 1977 if accepted by KORC.

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus

Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus

asian_koel_mg_3528
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus

Asian Koel
Asian Koel Eudynamys scolopaceus

3 Responses

  1. Congratulation
    Last record of Asian Koel in Iran at 2007.Nov.22 (All 3 records)
    Would you please let me add your link to my weblog?
    Good Luck
    Arash
    birdwatcher.persianblog.ir

  2. Anonymous says:

    Yes of course you can add a link to my weblog.
    What was the site of these records from Iran?

  3. Thank you very Much
    Last Record of Asian Koel in Iran at Hengam Island(South of Bandar Abbas)Others in Qeshm Island and Chabahar(Near Pakistan, coast of oman sea)
    Thank you again