My dad’s house in Kerala has a large compound with lots of trees and birds. (Also a pond which we used to love as kids)
Koels are quite common there, and one of my hobbies was and is “singing with the koel”. Here’s how it’s done. The koel goes koo-ooo and you do the same. After about 5-6 times, the koel would take offence and keep quiet. You do the same. Then you try to start off and the koel always follows suit. It’s very difficult to spot them in the foliage, but singing with them is very enjoyable.
Today I was in my office in Bangalore and heard a koel sing. Was so tempted to try out if koels in Bangalore were the same as koels in Kerala. But kept quiet for humanitarian considerations. The fact that I have been singing with koels since childhood, and the fact that my voice still remains like that of a crow, is better kept to myself:)
Love for Gardening 