Oriental Magpie Robin

Oriental Maggie-Robin male has glossy blue-black upperparts, head, throat and upper breast. Long tail is black, with white outer feathers. Wings are black with two bold, long, white wing bars. Underparts are white. Bill is black. Eyes are dark. Legs and feet are blackish. Female is dull dark grey instead black on the same body parts. Juvenile resembles female, but it has scaly head and upperparts, and mottled brown throat and breast.

Oriental Magpie-Robin is common in parks and gardens. It is found in cultivated areas and open woodlands. It also frequents human habitation surroundings. It can be found up to 2000 metres in bushes, but also in coastal mangroves.

Oriental Magpie-Robin feeds mainly on insects caught on the ground, and also flower nectar. It also consumes earthworms, snails, small lizards and some plant matter.

Oriental Magpie-Robin utters beautiful clear whistles at dawn, repeated on short phrases. It is able to imitate other birds’ calls. Its melodious song is strong and varied, with discordant notes and mimicries. They sometimes may abruptly sing during the night.

The oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long tail that is held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously. Occurring across most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, they are common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cagebirds. The oriental magpie-robin is the national bird of Bangladesh.