White-rumped Shama

More Information

White-rumped shamas are perching birds with navy blue or black feathers on their head, back, wings, and tail, and orange on their undersides and belly. They are named for the white feathers in a band on their rump. Their tails are often longer than their body. Females are a touch grayer than the males. These birds spend their time foraging on or close to the forest floor. They prefer undergrowth and shady ravines.

Pairs last at least a couple of years in the wild. Males scout out nesting sites; females approve them, then build the nests. Up to five eggs are laid in a clutch and incubated for about two weeks. Hatched chicks fledge around 11 days old and are mature at around six or seven months old.

Did You Know?

• White-rumped shamas are known for their loud, melodious, richly toned calls. They can also imitate the calls of other birds. Males sing complex songs to attract females, while females sing only during breeding season in the presence of male partners.
• Because they reside in dense forests and do not venture out into the open very much, they are heard more than they are seen.
• While they are listed as a species with little risk of extinction by the IUCN Red List, they remain hot commodities in the Asian songbird trade. In 2022, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted to protect the bird as a This appendix lists animals not currently threatened but may become so unless trade is controlled.