Birds of Singapore
by the Bird Society of Singapore
Copsychus malabaricus
Malay name: Murai-Hutan Biasa · Chinese name: 白腰鹊鸲
Family: Chats, Old World Flycatchers, and Allies · Status: Uncommon resident and rare introduced resident · Size: 21.5–28 cm · Conservation: Not Evaluated
Occurs from the Indian subcontinent and southern China through the Thai-Malay Peninsula to Sumatra and Borneo.
Male has glossy blue-black head, upperparts and upper breast, orange-rufous underparts, conspicuous white rump, a notably long graduated blackish tail white outer tail feathers. Female has dark grey replacing blue-black, a shorter tail, and is overall duller. Juvenile is dull grey-brown with cinnamon wing-bars and buffy spots on the head, back, and breast. Separated from Oriental Magpie-Robin by orange-rufous (not white) underparts and conspicuous white rump.
Forest understory and forest edge, including secondary growth, overgrown plantations, and mangroves.
Forages mainly on the ground among leaf litter; spends much of its time flitting in dense thickets.