The Oriental Magpie-Robin (Copsychus saularis) is a small passerine (perching) bird in the Muscicapidae family of flycatchers. 

The Oriental Magpie-Robin is black and white with an upright long tail. The male has black upperparts, black head and black throat, with a white shoulder patch. Its underparts and the sides of the long tail are white. The female has greyish-black upperparts and greyish white chest.

It measures about 19 centimetres (7.5 inches) tall.

The Oriental Magpie-Robin is native to India and south-east Asia, in countries such as Bangladesh, Cambodia, south China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. It prefers tropical forests, open woodlands, and gardens near human habitats.

It is mostly seen on the ground, not in trees. It forages amongst leaf litter on the ground for food. It eats insects, larvae, caterpillars, flower nectar, lizards, leeches, centipedes and small fish.

It nests in tree hollows or niches in walls or building. The female makes a nest lined with grass. She lays 4-5 eggs, which hatch after 8-14 days. Only the female sits on the eggs. The female mainly feeds the chicks.

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM