This here is the one smart (Asian Koel) chica. When she wants to lay an egg (or a couple of them), she simply scouts around for what she feels is an appropriate nest for her young. Then when no one’s looking, she does the deed and flies away nonchalantly.

By the way she is not too choosy about choosing foster parents for her kids. Crows, mynahs, shrikes and even drongos have played hosts to Koel kids. Talk about letting others do the work. But one hears she is a conscientious enough Momma that she slips in when the hosts are away to feed her newly hatched offspring. Cool, huh?

Did you know the Koel chica is sometimes assisted by her chico in this deception? He distracts the hosts while she steals in to lay her egg(s) in their nest. I bet, then they both happily fly away and sing a couple of songs that has humans, rather the poets among them, go all dopey-eyed and romantically inclined, and rushing off to churn out verse by the pages. Bollywood songs are full of references to the sweet song of the Koel. But of course it is the Koel chico who sings. She only goes khi-khi-khi-khi-khi (Correct me if I am wrong on that).