White-rumped Shama

Photo by the late Laurence Poh
Khao Yai National Park, Thailand.

Copsychus malabaricus

Includes: White-crowned Shama

Identification

22-28cm

• Black bill
• Pink feet

Male

• Glossy black
• Chestnut belly
• White feathers on the rump and outer tail
  

Females: grey-brown, shorter than males
Juvenile: similar to the female, with blotches or spots on the chest.

Distribution

South and south east Asia.

Introduced to Kaua'i, O'ahu and Moloka'i, in the Hawaiian Islands. Seems to be spreading to other islands in Maui County.

Subspecies stricklandi (White-crowned Shama)
Photo by Joe Pan
Kinabatangan District, Sabah, Malaysia

Taxonomy

Subspecies^[1]

About 20 subspecies accepted:

• C. m. malabaricus: Southern peninsula India
• C. m. leggei: Sri Lanka
• C. m. indicus: Nepal, to Assam and north-eastern India
• C. m. interpositus: South-western China to Myanmar, Thailand, Indochina and Mergui Archaepelago
• C. m. minor: Hainan (southern China)
• C. m. mallopercnus: Malay Peninsula, Riau Archipelago and Lingga Archipelago
• C. m. tricolor : Sumatra, western Java, Banka, Belitung and Karimata islands
• C. m.s mirabilis: Prinsen Island (Sunda Strait)
• C. m. melanurus: Islands off north-western Sumatra
• C. m. opisthopelus: Islands off south-western Sumatra
• C. m. javanus: Central Java
• C. m. omissus: Eastern Java
• C. m. ochroptilus: Anambas Islands (South China Sea)
• C. m. abbotti: Bangka and Belitung islands (off Borneo)
• C. m. eumesus: Natuna Islands (off Borneo)
• C. m. suavis: Borneo (except northern part)
• C. m. nigricauda: Kangean Islands and Matasiri Island (Java Sea)
• C. m. stricklandii: Lowlands of northern Borneo, Labuan, Balembangan and Banggi islands
• C. m. barbouri: Maratua Islands (off northern Borneo)

Stricklandi (together with barbouri) from Borneo is sometimes considered a full species, White-crowned Shama. Andaman Shama was formerly included in this species.

Habitat

Valley forests and lowland broadleaf forests.

Behaviour

Breeding

The nest is built of roots, leaves and other vegetative material which is placed near the ground. The eggs are white to light bluey-green, with brown blotches. Incubate takes between 12 and 15 days.

Diet

The diet includes grasshoppers, termites, caterpillars, grubs, and fruit. The young are fed earthworms and insects.

Vocalisation

<flashmp3>Memo.mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
Recording by wavethree
Pulau Ubin, Singapore

References

1. Clements, JF. 2011. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to August 2011. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/downloadable-clements-checklist
2. Wikipedia

• List of references

Recommended Citation

• BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) White-rumped Shama. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/White-rumped_Shama

External Links

Search for photos of White-rumped Shama in the gallery