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 considered the national bird of Bangladesh.

Contents

 1Description
 2Etymology
 3Distribution and habitat
 4Behaviour and ecology
 5Status
 6In culture
 7References
o 7.1Other sources
 8External links

Description[edit]

Female of the nominate race (India)

This species is 19 centimetres (7.5 in) long, including the long tail, which is usually
held cocked upright when hopping on the ground. When they are singing a song the
tail is normal like other birds. 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
greyish black above and greyish white. Young birds have scaly brown upperparts
and head.
The nominate race is found on the Indian subcontinent and the females of this race
are the palest. The females of the Andaman Islands race andamanensis are darker,
heavier-billed and shorter-tailed. The Sri Lankan race ceylonensis (formerly included
with the peninsular Indian populations south of the Kaveri River)[2] and southern
nominate individuals have the females nearly identical to the males in shade. The
eastern populations, the ones in Bangladesh and Bhutan, have more black on the
tail and were formerly named erimelas.[3] The populations in Myanmar (Burma) and
further south are named as the race musicus.[4] A number of other races have been
named across the range, including prosthopellus (Hong
Kong), nesiotes, zacnecus, nesiarchus, masculus, pagiensis, javensis, problematicu
s, amoenus, adamsi, pluto, deuteronymus and mindanensis.[5] However, many of
these are not well-marked and the status of some of them is disputed.[6] Some,
like mindanensis, have now been usually recognized as full species (the Philippine
magpie-robin).[7] There is more geographic variation in the plumage of females than
in that of the males.[8]
It is mostly seen close to the ground, hopping along branches or foraging in leaf-litter
on the ground with a cocked tail. Males sing loudly from the top of trees or other high
perches during the breeding season.[3]

Etymology[edit]

Illustration from John Ray's Synopsis methodicam avium & piscium (1713)

The Indian name of dhyal or dhayal has led to many confusions. It was first used
by Eleazar Albin ("dialbird") in 1737 (Suppl. N. H. Birds, i. p. 17, pls. xvii. xviii.), and
Levaillant (Ois. d'Afr. iii. p. 50) thought it referred to a sun dial and he called
it Cadran. Thomas C. Jerdon wrote (B. India, ii. p. 1l6) that Linnaeus,[9] thinking it had
some connection with a sun-dial, called it solaris, by lapsus pennae, saularis. This
was however identified by Edward Blyth as an incorrect interpretation and that it was
a Latinization of the Hindi word saulary which means a "hundred songs". A male bird
was sent with this Hindi name from Madras by surgeon Edward Buckley to James
Petiver, who first described the species (Ray, Synops. Meth. Avium, p. 197).[10][11]

Distribution and habitat[edit]

This magpie-robin is a resident breeder in tropical southern Asia
from Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka and eastern Pakistan,
eastern Indonesia, Thailand, south China, Malaysia, and Singapore.[3]
The Oriental magpie-robin is found in open woodland and cultivated areas often
close to human habitations.

Behaviour and ecology[edit]

Egg, Collection Museum Wiesbaden

Magpie-robins breed mainly from March to July in India and January to June in
south-east Asia. Males sing from high perches during courtship. The display of the
male involves puffing up the feathers, raising the bill, fanning the tail and strutting.
[2]
 They nest in tree hollows or niches in walls or building, often adopting nest boxes.
They line the cavity with grass. The female is involved in most of the nest building,
which happens about a week before the eggs are laid. Four or five eggs are laid at
intervals of 24 hours and these are oval and usually pale blue green with brownish
speckles that match the color of hay. The eggs are incubated by the female alone for
8 to 14 days.[12][13] The nests are said to have a characteristic odour.[citation needed]

Juvenile with scaly markings (Sri Lanka)

Females spend more effort on feeding the young than males. Males are quite
aggressive in the breeding season and will defend their territory.[14] and respond to
the singing of intruders and even their reflections.[15] Males spend more time on nest
defense.[16] Studies of the bird song show dialects[17] with neighbours varying in their
songs. The calls of many other species may be imitated as part of their song.[18][19] This
may indicate that birds disperse and are not philopatric.[20] Females may sing briefly in
the presence of a male.[21] Apart from their song, they use a range of calls including
territorial calls, emergence and roosting calls, threat calls, submissive calls, begging
calls and distress calls.[22] The typical mobbing calls is a harsh hissing krshhh.[2][3][23]
The diet of magpie-robins includes mainly insects and other invertebrates. Although
mainly insectivorous, they are known to occasionally take flower nectar, geckos,[24]
[25]
 leeches,[26] centipedes[27] and even fish.[28]
They are often active late at dusk.[3] They sometimes bathe in rainwater collected on
the leaves of a tree.[29]

Status[edit]
This species is considered one of "least concern" globally, but in some areas it is
declining.
In Singapore and Hong Kong (Malay names Murai Kampung/cacing) they were
common in the 1920s, but declined in the 1970s, presumably due to competition
from introduced common mynas.[30] Poaching for the pet bird trade and habitat
changes have also affected them and they are locally protected by law.[31]
This species has few avian predators. Several pathogens and parasites have been
reported. Avian malaria parasites have been isolated from the species[32] while
H4N3[33] and H5N1 infection has been noted in a few cases.[34] Parasitic nematodes of
the eye have been described[35]

In culture[edit]

Doel Chattar, Dhaka

Oriental magpie-robins were widely kept as cage birds for their singing abilities and
for fighting in India in the past.[36] They continue to be sold in the pet trade in parts of
Southeast Asia.
Aside from being recognized as the national bird of the country, in Bangladesh, the
oriental magpie-robin is common and known as the doyel or doel (Bengali: দোয়েল).
[37]
 Professor Kazi Zakir Hossain of Dhaka University proposed to consider the
Magpie Robin birds as the national bird of Bangladesh. The reasoning behind this is
the Magpie Robin can be seen everywhere in towns and villages across the country.
In that context, the Magpie Robin (doel) bird was declared as the national bird of
Bangladesh.[38] It is a widely used symbol in Bangladesh, appearing on currency
notes, and a landmark in the city of Dhaka is named as the Doel Chattar (meaning:
Doel Square).[39][40]
In Sri Lanka, this bird is called Polkichcha.[41]

References[edit]
1. ^ BirdLife International. 2017. Copsychus saularis
(amended version of 2016 assessment). The IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species 2017:
e.T103893432A111178145. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IU
CN.UK.2017-1.RLTS.T103893432A111178145.en.
Downloaded on 24 May 2018.
2. ^ Jump up to:a b c Ali, S & S D Ripley (1997). Handbook of the
birds of India and Pakistan.  8 (2nd  ed.). Oxford
University Press. pp.  243–247.  ISBN  978-0-19-562063-4.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e Rasmussen PC & JC Anderton
(2005).  Birds of South Asia. The Ripley Guide. Volume 2.
Smithsonian Institution and Lynx Edicions. p. 395.
4. ^ Baker, ECS (1921).  "Handlist of the birds of the Indian
empire". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 27 (4): 87–88.
5. ^ Ripley, S D (1952). "The thrushes". Postilla. 13: 1–48.
6. ^ Hoogerwerf, A (1965).  "Notes on the taxonomy
of  Copsychus saularis  with special reference to the
subspecies  amoenus  and  javensis"  (PDF). Ardea.  53:
32–37.
7. ^ Sheldon FH, Lohman DH, Lim HC, Zou F, Goodman
SM, Prawiradilaga DM, Winker K, Braile TM, Moyle RG
(2009).  "Phylogeography of the magpie-robin species
complex (Aves: Turdidae: Copsychus) reveals a
Philippine species, an interesting isolating barrier and
unusual dispersal patterns in the Indian Ocean and
Southeast Asia"  (PDF).  Journal of Biogeography.  36  (6):
1070–1083.  doi:10.1111/j.1365-2699.2009.02087.x.
8. ^ Baker, ECS (1924).  The Fauna of British India,
Including Ceylon and Burma. Birds. 2  (2nd ed.). Taylor
and Francis, London. pp.  112–116.
9. ^ Linnaeus, Carolus (1760). Systema naturae. Halae
Magdeburgicae  : Typis et sumtibus Io. Iac. Curt.
10. ^ Blyth E. (1867).  "The Ornithology of India. - A
commentary on Dr. Jerdon's 'Birds of India'".  Ibis.  3 (9):
1–48.  doi:10.1111/j.1474-919x.1867.tb06417.x.
11. ^ Newton, Alfred (1893–1896).  A Dictionary of Birds.
Adam & Charles Black, London. p. 133.
12. ^ Pillai, NG (1956). "Incubation period and 'mortality rate'
in a brood of the Magpie-Robin [Copsychus
saularis  (Linn.)]".  J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.  54  (1): 182–
183.
13. ^ Hume, A.O. (1890).  The nests and eggs of Indian
birds. 2  (2nd ed.). R H Porter, London. pp.  80–85.
14. ^ Narayanan E. (1984). "Behavioural response of a male
Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis  Sclater) to its own
song". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 81 (1): 199–200.
15. ^ Cholmondeley, EC (1906). "Note on the Magpie Robin
(Copsychus saularis)". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 17 (1):
247.
16. ^ Sethi, Vinaya Kumar; Bhatt, Dinesh (2007).
"Provisioning of young by the Oriental Magpie-robin". The
Wilson Journal of Ornithology. 119 (3): 356–
360.  doi:10.1676/06-105.1.
17. ^ Aniroot Dunmak & Narit Sitasuwan (2007).  "Song
Dialect of Oriental Magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) in
Northern Thailand"  (PDF).  The Natural History Journal of
Chulalongkorn University. 7  (2): 145–153.
18. ^ Neelakantan, KK (1954). "The secondary song of
birds".  J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.  52  (3): 615–620.
19. ^ Law, SC (1922). "Is the Dhayal  Copsychus saularis  a
mimic?".  J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.  28  (4): 1133.
20. ^ Bhattacharya, H.; J. Cirillo; B.R. Subba & D. Todt
(2007).  "Song Performance Rules in the Oriental Magpie
Robin (Copsychus salauris)"  (PDF). Our Nature. 5: 1–
13.  doi:10.3126/on.v5i1.791.
21. ^ Kumar, Anil; Bhatt, Dinesh (2002). "Characteristics and
significance of song in female Oriental Magpie-
Robin,  Copysychus saularis". J. Bombay Nat. Hist.
Soc.  99  (1): 54–58.
22. ^ Kumar, A. & Bhatt, D. (2001).  "Characteristics and
significance of calls in Oriental magpie robin"  (PDF). Curr.
Sci. 80: 77–82.
23. ^ Bonnell, B (1934). "Notes on the habits of the Magpie
Robin  Copsychus saularis saularis  Linn". J. Bombay Nat.
Hist. Soc. 37 (3): 729–730.
24. ^ Sumithran, Stephen (1982). "Magpie-Robin feeding on
geckos". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 79 (3): 671.
25. ^ Saxena, Rajiv (1998). "Geckos as food of Magpie
Robin". J. Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc. 95 (2): 347.
26. ^ Karthikeyan, S (1992). "Magpie Robin preying on a
leech". Newsletter for Birdwatchers.  32  (3&4): 10.
27. ^ Kalita, Simanta Kumar (2000). "Competition for food
between a Garden Lizard  Calotes versicolor (Daudin)
and a Magpie Robin Copsychus saularis Linn".  J.
Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc.  97  (3): 431.
28. ^ Sharma, Satish Kumar (1996). "Attempts of female
Magpie Robin to catch a fish".  J. Bombay Nat. Hist.
Soc.  93  (3): 586.
29. ^ Donahue, Julian P (1962).  "The unusual bath of a
Lorikeet [Loriculus vernalis  (Sparrman)] and a Magpie-
Robin [Copsychus saularis  (Linn.)]".  J. Bombay Nat. Hist.
Soc.  59  (2): 654.
30. ^ Huong SL, Sodhi NS (1997). "Status of the Oriental
Magpie Robin  Copsychus saularis  in Singapore".  Malay
Nat. J. 50: 347–354.
31. ^ Yap, Charlotte A. M. & Navjot S. Sodhi
(2004).  "Southeast Asian invasive birds: ecology, impact
and management".  Ornithological Science.  3: 57–
67.  doi:10.2326/osj.3.57.
32. ^ Ogaki, M. (1949). "Bird Malaria Parasites Found in
Malay Peninsula".  Am. J. Trop. Med. 29 (4): 459–
462.  doi:10.4269/ajtmh.1949.s1-29.459. PMID 1815304
6.
33. ^ Dennis J. Alexander (1992). Avian Influenza in the
Eastern Hemisphere 1986-1992. Avian Diseases 47.
Special Issue. Third International Symposium on Avian
Influenza. 1992 Proceedings. pp.  7–19.
34. ^ Quarterly Epidemiology Report Jan-Mar 2006  (PDF).
Hong Kong Government. 2006.
35. ^ Sultana, Ameer (1961). "A Known and a New Filariid
from Indian Birds". The Journal of Parasitology.  47  (5):
713–714. doi:10.2307/3275453. JSTOR 3275453. PMID 
13918345.
36. ^ Law, Satya Churn (1923). Pet birds of Bengal. Thacker,
Spink & Co.
37. ^ "Doel is the mascot". The Daily Star. 2009-09-16.
Retrieved 2017-12-18.
38. ^ "Introduction to Oriental Magpie
Robin". www.pettract.com. Retrieved 2020-12-18.
39. ^ "National Birds". The Daily Star. 2016-07-23.
Retrieved 2017-12-18.
40. ^ "Fountainous reopening of Doyel Chattar".  The Daily
Star. 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2017-12-18.
41. ^ Anonymous (1998).  "Vernacular Names of the Birds of
the Indian Subcontinent"  (PDF).  Buceros. 3  (1): 53–109.
Archived from  the original  (PDF)  on 2010-04-01.
 Other sources[edit]

 Mehrotra, P. N. 1982. Morphophysiology of the

cloacal protuberance in the male Copsychus
saularis (L.) (Aves, Passeriformes). Science and
Culture 48:244–246.

External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has
media related to:
Copsychus
saularis (category)

 Oriental Magpie Robin videos, photos &

sounds on the Internet Bird Collection
 Magpie-robin in Banglapedia
 Introduction to Oriental Magpie Robin
show

National symbols of Bangladesh

 Wikidata: Q266761

 Wikispecies: Copsychus saularis

 ADW: Copsychus_saularis

 Avibase: D112C938D2650926

 BirdLife: 103893432

 BOLD: 117626

 BOW: magrob

 eBird: magrob

 Euring: 27920

 GBIF: 2492680

 iNaturalist: 204491

 IRMNG: 10591408

 ITIS: 559432

 IUCN: 103893432

 NBN: NHMSYS0020789068

 NCBI: 343929

 Xeno-canto: Copsychus-saularis
Categories: 
  IUCN Red List least concern species
 Copsychus
 Birds of Bangladesh
 Birds of South Asia
 Birds of China
 Birds of Southeast Asia
 Birds of Yunnan
 Birds described in 1758
 Taxa named by Carl Linnaeus
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