Birds Around Me 0044 - Indian Robin (कलचुरी)

Birds Around Me 0044 - Indian Robin (कलचुरी) - Copsychus fulicatus

By Ashutosh Jhureley

Female Indian Robin (कलचुरी) / Copsychus fulicatus

Taken on June 26, 2018

Location: Sanjivini Nagar, Jabalpur, India (Latitude: 23.172826, Longitude: 79.881881)

Indian Robin (कलचुरी) - Copsychus fulicatus - Ashutosh Jhureley

Male Indian Robin (कलचुरी) - Copsychus fulicatus

Indian Robin (कलचुरी) is a sparrow-sized bird with a long tail, which is usually held up. The chestnut or rusty under-tail coverts and dark bodies of males make them easily distinguishable. The females are ashy brown with paler chestnut under. Distribution is throughout the Indian Subcontinent and is famous for its song with rhythm maintained by twitching tail. They feed mostly on insects but are known to take frogs and lizards especially when feeding young at the nest.

You can spot it switching its cocked tail up and down expressively as it turns facing one way or other around the countryside, thatch roofs, roadside hedges or stones, sand mounds, and rocks.

The male has a fairly elaborate courtship display when he will puff out his chest and stretch himself menacingly to his full height, tossing the cocked tail forward and upwards. The male will have a similar display to claim territory from another male, in order to woo the female. Another male in the claim will do a similar act, while the female observes from a distance. The winner claims the territory and attention of the female.

Bird Facts: Indian Robin was introduced into the New York region but did not establish.

Identification: Grey-brown underparts, chestnut vents

Where: Dry scrubby areas, usually low on the ground or in low bushes.

Hindi Name of Indian Robin (Copsychus fulicatus): कलचुरी

Birds Around Me - Unfinished List (अपूर्ण सूची)

-- Ashutosh Jhureley