Birds in my garden - Magpie Robin

Size -diagnostic markings:- 20 Cm  The Oriental Magpie Robin is a fair size bird. Conspicuous white rumped like the Shama.  Glossy black head. Also black on the upper part then on the under part, the upper breast is also black. The rest of the under part, i.e. the belly is white. Long broad bar along the wing. The female has much less gloss on the black.

Habitats & preferences:- I don't know much about his habits elsewhere. In Malaysia, noticed this is the most hardy birds. First appearing in domestic gardens, public parks. Then all the way up to the open country in the montane forest. Much more common in the lowlands. It is an open country bird.

Magpie Robin  # 1

Magpie Robin # 2

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Magpie Robin  # 3

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-As just mentioned. Anywhere - Urban, rural, lowland and highlands, this bird can be found and mingling around the surroundings with human presence. More like a situation of the birds following human rather than the scene of birders on a look out to meet up with the bird. "You cannot miss seeing the bird!" type of situation.

 I grew up seeing the Oriental Magpie Robin as a familiar garden bird. Later I get to know that the bird as a "Magpie". Together with new friends from the birding circle, I got the name "Magpie Robin". With that 2 common names, I was stuck with that long lasting confusion of the bird's actual name. Is the bird a Magpie or a Robin.

Malaysia, an ex-British Colony should be familiar with the Robin. A National bird! But Magpie  is synonymous with the "pied" color. Finally with more knowledge on birds, the topic becomes transparent. Our Oriental Pied Robin and the European Robin comes from the same family of Muscicapidae [Old World Flycatcher]. Oriental Pied is 19cm long, including the long cocked tail while having same shape as the smaller European Robin at 14 cm. That is where the similarity ends as the former with a longer tail is from genus Copsychus and the latter Erithacus

It is a very good song bird. It's melodious song is strong and varied, with discordant notes and mimicries. During the breeding season that the males would be singing heartily. At dawn the Oriental Magpie-Robin utters beautiful clear whistles, repeated on short phrases. Otherwise rather shy and silent outside of breeding season.

The Magpie Robins do mimic other bird calls with great accuracy. Perhaps, it is this reason that the Oriental Magpie Robin was popular with the straits Chinese as a caged bird. At one time, in the 70's the bird was driven to near extinction. Partly by bird collectors and by competition from the Mynas. It was re-introduced in the 80's in Singapore and hence obtained its protected bird status.

The Oriental Pied Robin has a tail that is tilted upwards as a normal posture then the tail is also frequently lowered and fanned. They hunt for insect on the ground. May be living solitary but often seen in pairs around human habitations.

Oriental Magpie Robin do not migrate as an interesting observation. This is one bird that is most often seen in Malaysia. Unexpected to see it's presence as an urban dwelling bird - as in the most remote part of the country and in places on high mountains. Where ever there are humans, the Oriental Magpie Robin in variably will the first bird I will get to see or the only bird I would meet up with. Such phenomenon could only suggest that the bird is not very picky about its food or it can fight off competition to breed in a large varieties of habitats. Alternatively put, this species is very tough in gathering food and very versatile in its lifestyle. It is not a shy bird as well, you can get very close.

Another name that is hardly used is Straits Robin.

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