- Copsychus saularis
Also known as Oriental Magpie Robin, Straits Robin and Magpie.
Identification
This species is 19cm long, including the long cocked tail. It is similar in shape to the smaller European Robin, but is longer-tailed. The male has black upperparts, head and throat apart from a white shoulder patch. The underparts and the sides of the long tail are white. Females are grey above and greyish white. Young birds have scaly brown upperparts and head.
Distribution
This magpie-robin is an insectivorous species which is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia from Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka east to Indonesia, south China, and the Philippines.
Taxonomy
The Oriental Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but is now more generally considered to be an Old World flycatcher, family Muscicapidae.
Habitat
The Oriental Magpie Robin is found in open woodland, cultivated areas and around human habitation.
Behaviour
It nests in a hole, often in a wall, laying 3-6 eggs which are incubated by both sexes.
The Oriental Magpie Robin is a common and tame bird. It is terrestrial, hopping along the ground with cocked tail. The male sings loud melodic notes from the top of a perch during the breeding season.
