Scientific name

Eudynamys scolopaceus

Common name

Cuckoo

Hindi

Koel

Sanskrit 

Kokila

Distribution

Throughout India

Religious association

The cuckoo is a symbol of fertility, fun and good times. The bird is the vehicle of Jayakara, the companion of Kamadeva, god of love, an Indian Cupid. The cuckoo is sacred to the Lepchas of Sikkim, whose agricultural calendar is decided by the cuckoo.