Oriental Magpie Robin perched on a tree branch, Biligiri Rangan Tiger Reserve, Karnataka, India

Oriental magpie-robin Copsychus saularis is a small passerine bird, belonging to the family Muscicapidae.The Indian name for this bird is dhayal. It is a distinctive black and white bird about 19 centimetres long with a long tail that is held upright as it forages on the ground. It is found across most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. It is particularly well known for its song. The male sings loudly from the top of trees or other high perches during the breeding season. In India the magpie-robin breeds mainly from March to July and is a resident bird. It nests in tree hollows or niches in walls or buildings. The male has black upperparts, head and throat, apart from a white shoulder patch. The under parts and the sides of the long tail are white. The female is greyish black above and greyish white below. It is mostly seen close to the ground, hopping along branches or foraging in leaf-litter on the ground with a cocked tail. It is found in open woodland mainly dry deciduous forest but preferring presence of shady evergreen trees. It is also found in cultivated areas often close to human habitations. The diet of magpie robins includes mainly insects and other invertebrates. Picture was taken while on a morning walk in the Biligiri Rangan Tiger Reserve, at about 08.40 AM, on April 26, 2019, using a Canon DSLR EOS 550D; focal length 270mm, f/8 and shutter speed 1/640 second.

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