| Rufous Treepie | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific classification | ||||||||||||||
| ||||||||||||||
| Binomial name | ||||||||||||||
| Dendrocitta vagabunda |
It is slightly smaller than the European Magpie (Pica pica) and has somewhat shorter, more rounded wings and a proportionately longer tail. The bill is shorter and thicker too, and slightly downcurved, and the legs are shorter. The head, neck and breast are a deep slate-grey colour, sometimes slightly brownish.
The underparts and lower back are a warm tawny-brown to orange-brown in colour with white wing coverts and black primaries. The tail is a light bluish-grey with a thick black band on the tip. The bill, legs and feet are black.
The range of this species is quite large, covering all of India up to the Himalayas, and southeasterly in a broad band into Burma (Myanmar), Laos, and Thailand in open forest consisting of scrub, plantations and gardens.
This is a typically arboreal species feeding almost completely in trees for fruits, invertebrates, small reptiles and the eggs and young of birds. It is extremely agile while searching for food, clinging and clambering through the branches. It has been known to take flesh from a recently killed carcass and will sometimes travel in small feeding parties with other unrelated species such as drongos and babblerss.
The nest is built in trees and bushes and is usually quite shallow. There are usually 3-5 eggs laid.
This species has a variety of calls, but a bob-o-link call has been heard, as well as a magpie-like alarm call.