The Fauna of British India, including Ceylon and Burma/Birds/Order Passeres/Family Corvidæ/Genus Dendrocitta

by Edward Charles Stuart Baker

 

Genus DENDROCITTA Gould, 1833.

In the Tree-pies we have a collection of birds which are closer to Pica than to either Urocissa or Cissa, inasmuch as they have black bills and very numerous stiff, but somewhat short, bristles completely concealing the nostrils. The bill, however, is short, with the commissure greatly curved and in one species, D. bayleyi, the tail approaches the next genus in structure, the central tail-feathers being gradually enlarged throughout their length, not suddenly at the tip as in Crypsorhina.

The Tree-pies are sociable, associating in small flocks and they are arboreal, seldom descending to the ground. They have a series of clear metallic notes, which sound very pleasantly in the jungle. They construct large nests, generally in trees, and lay eggs which are less Corvine in appearance than those of the true Magpies. Their food consists of both fruit and insects.

Key to Species.

A. Tail ashy with black on terminal half.

a.

Crown brown, abdomen rufous ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. rufa, p. 48.

b.

Crown black, abdomen and hind neck white ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. leucogastra, p. 51.

c.

Crown black, abdomen and hind neck ashy ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. sinensis, p. 52.

B. Tail entirely black.

d.

No white spot on wing ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. frontalis, p. 54.

e.

With a white wing-spot ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. bayleyi, p. 55.

Dendrocitta rufa.

This species extends over a very wide area and, as might be expected, varies greatly in different portions of its range, though their variations have until now been almost entirely overlooked.

Lanius rufus of Linné^[1], the name which has generally been accepted as applicable to this bird, cannot be used as it is pre-occupied by him in an earlier page of the same work. Curiously enough, however, Latham^[1] independently named it Corvus rufus a few years later from a bird obtained on the Malabar coast, so the name rufus will, therefore, still hold good.

Fig. 11.—Head of D. rufa rufa.

Key to Subspecies.

A. Colours of head and back contrasting strongly.

a.

Lighter both above and below and not nearly so richly coloured ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. rufa rufa, p. 48.

b.

Darker and more richly coloured above and below ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. r. vagabunda, p. 50.

B. Colours of head and back blending with one another.

c. Tail 195 to 241 mm.; dark dull plumage.

a'.

Darker, more brown ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. r. saturatior, p. 51.

b'.

Paler and redder ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. r. kinneari, p. 51.

d.

Tail 242 to 287 mm.; pale dull plumage ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. r. sclateri, p. 50.

 

(26) Dendrocitta rufa rufa.

The Indian Tree-pie.

Corvus rufus Latham, Ind. Orn., p. 161 (1790) (Malabar Coast).

Dendrocitta rufa. Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 30.

Vernacular names. Mahtab and Chand (Sind); Gokurayi, Konda-kati-gada (Tel.); Mootri (Lucknow); Maha-lat (Hindi).

Description. The whole head and neck with the upper breast, sooty-brown; remainder of the plumage fulvous or reddish fulvous, darker on the back and scapulars; wing-coverts greyish-white; wing-quills dark brown, the outer webs of the inner secondaries grey; tail pale ashy-grey, darkest at the base, broadly tipped with black.

Colours of soft parts. Iris brown to red-brown; bill dark slaty horn-colour, albescent at the base; mouth flesh-colour; eyelids plumbeous; legs dark brown, claws horn-colour.

Measurements. Length from 365 to 450 mm., according to length of tail which varies from 193 to 257 mm., in one case actually 305 mm.; wing from 137 to 159 mm., and in the one case 177 mm.; tarsus about 33 mm.; culmen about 28 mm.

The young are duller in colour than the adults, the head is lighter brown and the lateral tail-feathers are tipped with white or buffy-white.

Distribution. The whole of Southern India, North to, and including, Orissa; West to Sind, Punjab and Afghanistan and thence East to the South of Kashmir, Simla Hills and Garhwal.

Nidification. In the southern part of their range these Magpies breed in February and March, whilst further north they breed principally in May and June. As, however, with so many common birds, their breeding extends over a prolonged period and eggs are laid both later and earlier than the above months. The nest is a rather untidy, but not very bulky, affair of twigs, roots and other material, carelessly interwoven and lined with roots and sometimes a scrap or two of wool. Generally they are placed well up in trees of some size, but often in thorn hedges, Bér bushes or cactus clumps.

In the north the birds lay three to five eggs, most often four, but in the south they lay fewer and generally only two or three. The majority are of two distinct types: one pale greenish in ground-colour with blotches and spots of light and dark grey-brown; the other pale reddish white or salmon-colour with blotches of reddish and dark brown and others, underlying, of lilac and neutral tint.

150 eggs average 29·2 × 21·7 mm.

Habits. This Magpie is more of a plains than a mountain bird, but in some parts of the Himalayas it is said to wander up to as high as 7,000 feet and to breed at this height. It is a sociable, noisy bird but many of its notes are very musical, though it can give vent to most unmusical discords at times. Its usual call is an oft-repeated "bob-a-link bob-a-link" as it flies from one bush to another, the cry being repeated by each member of the flock in turn. They are practically omnivorous and are arrant egg and nestling thieves during the breeding seasons of the smaller birds. Their flight is dipping and consists of alternative flappings of the wings with short spells of sailings with the wings stiffly outspread.

This Magpie is everywhere one of the most familiar of birds, frequenting gardens and the outskirts of towns and villages and not penetrating into the wilder parts.

The type locality of rufa was certainly somewhere in South India, probably Malabar and therefore that place may be now designated.

(27) Dendrocitta rufa vagabunda.

The Bengal Tree-pie.

Coracias vagabunda Lath., Ind. Orn., p. 171 (1790) (India).

Vernacular names. Bobalink (Europeans Bengal); Kotri (Hindi in Beng.); Takka-chor, Handi-chacha (Bengali); Kash-kurshi (N. Cachar); Khola-Khoa (Assam.); Dao-ka-link (Cachari).

Description. Differs from the last in being more richly coloured; the head is blackish and the red of the back is almost chestnut and the fulvous red below also much richer.

Colours of soft parts as in rufa.

Measurements. Wing 145 to 172 mm.; tail 209 to 253 mm.

Distribution. Northern India from Garhwal to Eastern Assam, Behar, U. Provinces, Bengal and Manipur.

The type locality may be restricted to Calcutta.

Nidification. Similar to that of the last bird and neither nest nor egg can be distinguished.

Habits. An equally confiding, common bird, being found in flocks in gardens and parks in the centre of Calcutta and haunting the immediate vicinity of every town and village.

(28) Dendrocitta rufa sclateri, subsp. nov.

The Chin Hills Tree-pie.

Description. Similar to D. rufa rufa but with the whole plumage very pale and washed out and the dark grey of the head gradually merging with the pale dull rufous-brown or rufous-grey of the back.

Colours of soft parts as in the rest of the subspecies.

Measurements. Wing 142 to 161 mm.; tail 242 to 287 mm., generally well over 260 mm.

Distribution. Chin and Kachin Hills.

Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded.

Type. No. 1905—9. 10. 6. Brit. Mus. Coll., Mt. Victoria, 1,600 feet.

(29) Dendrocitta rufa kinneari, subsp. nov.

The Burmese Tree-pie.

Description. Similar to the last but much darker both above and below, the colour of the head and back blending with one another, the red of the back dull and brownish.

Measurements. Wing 137 to 151 mm.; tail 195 to 241 mm.

Distribution. The whole of Burma south of the Chin and Kachin Hills down to N. Tenasserim and east into Yunnan, Shan States and West Siam.

Nidification. Similar to that of D. rufa rufa.

Habits. The Burmese Tree-pie, though equally tame and confiding in its ways, is not so exclusively confined to open country in civilization as is the Indian Tree-pie and it may also be found in thin forest and the more open parts of evergreen forest.

Type. ♀, No. 87—11. 20. 213 Brit. Mus. Coll. Toungoo.

(30) Dendrocitta rufa saturatior.

The Tenasserim Tree-pie.

Dendrocitta vagabunda saturutior Ticehurst, Bull. B. O. C, xlii, p. 56 (1922) (Kaukareyet, Amherst).

Description. Similar to that of the Burmese Tree-pie but still darker and browner, the back having the red hardly visible at all.

Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in the Burmese race.

Distribution. Peninsular Siam and Burma but how far its limits extend cannot at present be defined.

Nidification and Habits. Nothing recorded.

(31) Dendrocitta leucogastra.

The Southern Tree-pie.

Dendrocitta leucogastra Gould, P. Z, S., 1833, p. 57 (Malabar Coast); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 31.

Vernacular names. Neela val Kaka (Tel.).

Description. Forehead, anterior half of crown, sides of the head, chin, throat, upper breast and thighs black; posterior crown to hind neck, lower breast to vent and upper tail-coverts white; back, scapulars and rump chestnut-bay; under tail-coverts chestnut; wings black, the primaries with a large patch of white at their base; central tail-feathers grey, broadly tipped black; the next pair half grey and half black and the others nearly entirely black.

Colours of soft parts. Bill black, legs and feet duller black; iris brown to red-brown.

Measurements. Length about 475 mm.; tail 250 to 300 mm.; wing about 140 to 155 mm.; tarsus about 30mm. and culmen about 25 mm.

Distribution. Southern India from South Travancore to the Wynaad. McMaster records a specimen from Chikalda in the Gawilgarh Hills, apparently a straggler only. It keeps principally to the western coast.

Nidification. Nest and eggs of this bird were taken by Bourdillon in March and by Mr. J. Stewart from February to May and again in August, and the latter gentleman informs me that they breed twice in the year. The nest is similar to that of the preceding bird and is placed in small trees and high bushes but it is always built in heavy forest and never near villages. Three eggs only are most often laid but four is not uncommon and sometimes two only are incubated. In general appearance they cannot be separated from those of himalayensis, described below.

Fifty eggs average 28·2 x 20·5 mm.

Habits. Found from the foot of the lulls up to about 5,000 feet, generally below 3,000 feet. The flight, voice and general habits are like those of the Common Indian Tree-pie but this bird is essentially an inhabitant of heavy forest and shuns the immediate vicinity of mankind.

 

Dendrocitta sinensis.

Key to Subspecies.

A.

Central tail-feathers pale grey, with no black tip. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. s. sinensis, p. 52.

B. Central tail-feathers darker grey, with a black tip.

a.

Paler and brighter in colour; vent and centre of abdomen almost white. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. s. himalayensis, p. 52.

b.

Darker and duller in colour; vent and centre of abdomen ashy. ....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

D. s. assimilis, p. 53.

 

(32) Dendrocitta sinensis himalayensis.

The Himalayan Tree-pie.

Dendrocitta himalayensis Blyth, Cat., p. 92 (1865) (Himalayas); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 32.

Vernacular names. Kokia-Kak (at Mussoorie); Karrio-pho (Lepcha); Karriah-ban (Bhutea); Kok-long-ah (Assam); Dao-ka-link (Caehari); Inrui-ko-kink (Naga).

Description. Forehead, lores and feathers above the eye black; sides of the head, chin and throat dark sooty-brown, fading and spreading over the sides of the neck and breast; crown of the head, nape and upper back ashy; back and scapulars clear brownish buff; rump and upper tail-coverts ashy; wings and their coverts black, all the primaries but the first two with a patch of white at their base, forming a conspicuous spot; central pair of tail-leathers ashy for two-thirds of their length, then black; the others all black except their extreme bases, which are ashy; abdomen and flanks cinereous; thighs brown; vent and under tail-coverts chestnut.

Colours of soft parts. Bill black; irides reddish brown; feet brownish black, claws horny black.

Measurements. Total length about 400 mm.; tail from 200 to 210 mm.; wing from 132 to 140 mm.; tarsus about 30 mm.; culmen about 32 mm.

The young are paler and duller, the feathers of the upper part are tipped with buff, the under tail-coverts and vent are reddish brown and the legs are dull leaden black and the iris blue-brown.

Distribution. Throughout the Himalayas from the Sutlej Valley, through Assam and throughout the Burmese hills as far as, but not including, Tenasserim.

Nidification. The Himalayan Tree-pie breeds during April, May and June at all heights from the level of the plains to at least 7,000 feet. It makes a nest like that of D. rufa rufa and builds it in similar situations, but selects forest, either light or heavy, well away from habitations for this purpose. The nest is often much smaller and more fragile than that of the Common Tree-pie and I have known it placed in quite low bushes. The eggs number from three to five, the latter number being exceptional. The ground-colour may be any tint of pale stone, very pale cream or pale reddish, and more rarely pale greenish white. The markings are of pale sienna and grey-brown, darker richer brown, or dark reddish brown; typically the markings are richer and bolder than they are on the eggs of the Common Tree-pie and are often confined to the larger end in a ring or cup. Very few of its eggs could be confounded with those of that bird.

Two hundred eggs average 28·8 x 20·1 mm.

Habits. The Himalayan Tree-pie is found all over the plains of Assam and also in the plains close to the foot-hills of the Dooars and Nepal Terai and ascends everywhere up to 5,000 feet and often considerably higher. They are forest birds and do not care for the vicinity of villages and houses but otherwise they are much like r. rufa in their ways. They are equally noisy but not, I think, so musical, and like the rest of the family, are great persecutors of small birds during the breeding season.

(33) Dendrocitta sinensis assimilis.

The Burmese Hill Tree-pie.

Dendrocitta assimilis Hume, S. F., v, p. 117 (1877) (Muleyity: Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 32.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. This subspecies is a rather darker, duller bird than the last; the under parts are more uniform in colour and the centre of the abdomen less white. The cheeks, ear-coverts and throat are a paler brown.

Colours of soft parts and Measurements as in D. s. himalayensis but the bill more massive.

Distribution. Burma as far north as the Chin Hills and Shan States and to the west the Pegu and Arrakau Yomas.

Nidification similar to that of D. s. himalayensis.

Habits. A hill bird confined to elevations principally between 1,000 and 4,000 feet, but descending to the foot-hills in the winter. In the summer it is found at least up to 6,000 feet, probably higher.

(34) Dendrocitta frontalis.

The Black-browed Tree-pie.

Dendrocitta frontalis McClell., P. Z. S., 1839, p. 163 (Assam); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 33.

Vernacular names. Hamshi-bon (Lepcha); Kolio-Ko (Bhutea); Dao-ka-link gaschim (Cachari).

Fig. 12.—Head of D. frontalis.

Description. Forehead, the greater part of the crown, sides of the head, chin, throat, fore neck, tail, wing-quills and the primary-coverts black; the remainder of the wing ash-grey; nape, hind neck, upper back, sides of the neck, breast and upper abdomen pale grey; lower back, scapulars, rump, upper tail-coverts, lower abdomen, thighs and under tail-coverts chestnut, the thighs tinged with brown.

Colours of soft parts. Bill and legs black; irides red-brown, often very bright.

Measurements. Total length about 370 to 380 mm.; tail 245 to 255 mm.; wing 120 to 126 mm.; tarsus about 30 mm.; culmen about 25 mm.

Distribution. Himalayas from Eastern Nepal to the extreme east and south of Assam into the higher hills of Manipur, but apparently not into Lushai or Chin Hills.

Nidification. This bird breeds freely in the N. Cachar, Khasia and Naga Hills east as far as Lakbimpur but it seems to be much rarer north of the Brahmaputra. I have not personally found it breeding much below 4,000 feet but the Nagas brought in nests and eggs to Dr. Coltart from much lower elevations in Lakhimpur. The nest is a small, neat replica of that of the Himalayan Tree-pie but is much more compact and well put together. They are often built quite low down in scrub-jungle, undergrowth and even in high weeds and small bushes. The breeding season lasts from the end of April into July.

The eggs also are similar to those of the last bird but are more handsome and nearly always much more profusely marked. They measure about 27·0 x 19·9 mm.

Habits. The Black-browed Tree-pie is essentially a bird of heavy evergreen forest, though it affects the more open glades on the outskirts of these. It goes about in small parties of half-a-dozen or so, and has a very musical note rather like, yet easily distinguishable from, the call of its plains' cousins. Like these birds also it has many discordant notes, though it is not nearly as noisy a bird. It does not appear to be a regular egg and young-bird thief, but doubtless despises neither if fate throws them in its way. It eats fruits, seeds and insects but chiefly the last. It is common between 4,000 and 7,000 feet and descends in the winter still lower, coming into the plains themselves in Eastern Assam but not elsewhere.

(35) Dendrocitta bayleyi.

The Andaman Tree-pie.

Dendrocitta bayleli Tytler, J. A. S. B., xxxii, p. 88 (1863) (Andamans); Blanf. & Oates, i, p. 34.

Vernacular names. None recorded.

Description. The feathers round the base of the bill black; the remainder of the head, neck, upper buck and upper breast dark bluish ashy; lower back, scapulars and rump pale rufous-olive; upper tail-coverts bluish ashy; lower breast rufescent ashy; abdomen, vent and under tail-coverts chestnut; tail and wing black, the latter with a large white patch on the primaries and outer secondaries.

Colours of soft parts. Bill, legs, feet and claws black, the sides plumbeous grey; iris bright yellow, in some rich golden yellow. (Hume.)

Measurements. Total length about 350 to 360 mm.; wing 120 to 126 mm.; tail from 180 to 230 mm., generally about 210; tarsus and bill from about 25 mm.

Distribution. Andamans only.

Nidification. Nothing on record, but I have 13 eggs collected for me by a Pathan convict which can all be matched by eggs of himalayensis. They average about 28·5 × 21·9 mm and were taken in April and March near Port Blair.

Habits. Davison obtained this bird near Port Blair and more commonly at Mount Harriet and Aberdeen. He observes that it is a forest bird and never ventures away from the cover of large trees; also that it never descends to the ground. Oates did not obtain it either on the Great Cocos or on Table Island.

1. Lanius rufus Linné, Syst. Nat., i, 1766.

   Corvus rufus Lath. Ind. Orn., p. 161, 1790.

   The description given is very poor, but it is founded on Sonnerat's plate, vol. ii, p. 161. 'Voyage de Sonnerat,' and cannot be mistaken. Although called "de Chine" it was apparently obtained on the Malabar Coast. On p. 171 Latham describes C. vagabunda and here lays stress on the black head and red back, evidently having obtained a N.E. Indian bird, possibly from the vicinity of Calcutta.