Chandigarh Bird Watch: Oriental Magpie Robin, the bird with the magnetic appeal

Although the bird, also known as Doyel, was categorised as a very common bird in the Inter State Chandigarh Region (ISCR), usually found in gardens and open woodlands, birders observed that its population is less than that of other common birds.

This bird is also known for singing the long song in a melodious voice to attract females during breeding season between March and July. The male only sings from high perches during the courtship.

You might not be able to enjoy its melodies voice in a garden where other voices tend to drown it out, but the tweeting of this bird will definitely give you tremendous solace if you get a chance to hear it in open woodlands.

I have usually observed this bird in many gardens, including the herbal park, Sector 25, Panchkula, and Leisure Valley, Sector 10, Chandigarh, but the experience of observing it near a large water body situated in Morni hills on a morning in February 2020 was unforgettable. The bird was sitting on a high branch of a completely dry tree. A hill in its background had made it clearly visible to my eyes. The bird was singing in a high pitch and appeared to be undisturbed by its surroundings and even my presence did not bother it. The bird stayed on the perch for quite a long time, puffing up its wings, picking its tail and sometimes nibbling its underparts with its bill.

The species is 19 centimeters (7.5 in) long, including the long tail, which is usually held cocked upright while hopping on the ground. The male has black upper parts, head and throat and a long white wing patch. The underbody and the sides of the long tail are white. Females are grey above with white underbody.

When they are singing a song, the tail is normal like other birds. It is similar in shape to the smaller European Robin, but is longer-tailed.