Rufous Treepie

Rufous Treepie, Photo: Kawsar Mostafa

বৈজ্ঞানিক শ্রেণীবিভাগঃ-
Scientific Classification

রাজ্য / Kingdom: Animalia
বর্গ / Order: Passeriformes
পরিবার / Family: Corvidae
গন / Genus: Dendrocitta
প্রজাতি / Species: D. vagabunda


Rufous Treepie


বাংলা নামঃ
হাঁড়িচাচা, কুটুম পাখি
English Name: Rufous Treepie
Scientific Name: Dendrocitta vagabunda

DescriptionDistributionReport Us

A bird from the Crow family (Corvidae) is native to Indian Subcontinent and Parts of Southeast Asia. Very easily identifiable for its loud unpleasant sound ,color and shape. Due to harsh musical sound/call the Rufous Treepie called Harichacha (হাঁড়িচাচা).Its named after that because when the women in village clean their utensils with scrub it makes similar unpleasant sound.Though it has another sweet name in Bengli which is Kutum Pakhi (কুটুমপাখি).

SIZE, WEIGHT and LENGTH : about 45-50 cm including, Tail length up to 30 com. Weighs about 90-130 g

Roufous Tree Pie easily identifiable for its distinctive features like : The long graduated tail is pale grey with wide black band at the end. Blackish head, breast and upper mantle, face and throat are darker , blackish grey bill, Red eyes with black iris. The upper parts are rufescent-brown turning orange-buff on upper tail. The upper wing, secondary wing are silvery-grey, contrasting with the black rest of wing. On the under parts, the lower parts are deep buff-rufous, turning orange-buff on under tail-coverts. Both sexes are similar

Food habit : Tree Pie omnivore like other Corvidaespecies.Feeds on almost completely in trees on fruits, seeds,figs from Ficus ,large variety of insects n their larvae, Spiders, snails small invertebratessuch as small reptiles and the eggs and young of birds,  rodents, bats, snakes, frogs and lizards etc.It has also been known to take flesh from recently killed carcasses.It also found to follow domestic cattle and wild large mammals to feed on ectoparasites and all invertebrates flushed by the large animals

Both adults take part in building its nest, normally their nest is flimsy and small build on trees or in bushes. Female Lays 2-6 eggs .Both sexes share incubation and nesting duties and also caring and feeding of  young ones.

(Kawsar Mostafa)

The RufousTreepie found in open deciduous woodlands, dry forest, mixed deciduous forest, secondary growth and even cultivated areas with scattered trees. At also found in city parks and gardens.Though mostly found in low altitude but it can be observed as high as 2000mtr above sea level.

Native bird of Indian Subcontinent also found in Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Combodia. Due to its food habits –consumption of large quantities insects tree pie is not considered as pest though it sometimes cause damages to crops, rather it can be considered as friend the farmer.

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