Magpie Robin
The national bird of Bangladesh is Magpie Robin or Oriental Magpie Robin. Its scientific name is Copsychus saularis. It belongs to the class of Aves, phylum of chordate, Family of Muscicapidae and kingdom of Animalia. In Bangladesh mostly known as the Doel. Doel is a Bengali word.
It was formally classed as a songbird family commonly known as thrush family (characteristic song birds having brown color in upper fur with marked breast).
In early times it was categorized as small passerine bird (perching birds mostly small and living near the ground with feet having 4 toes arranged to allow for gripping the perch; most are song birds hatchlings are helpless).
But in recent history it is known as old world flycatcher(any of a large group of small songbirds that feed on insects taken on the wing).
The Bengal national bird is distinctive black and white. It has long tail that is held upright as they feed on the ground or land clearly. Mostly found in Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia. It stays in urban garden and forests.
Do you know ? Bengali bird famous for songs and historically as cage birds.
The Doel bird is 19 centimeters (7.5 in) long. Its tail also long usually raised vertical. Its shape and structure is similar to the smaller robin. But comparatively it has long tail.
The upper parts of male species totally black. Apart from a white shoulder area its head and throat has separate color configuration. Its beneath and tail sides are white. The upper part of females is greyish black and greyish white. Its Young species have rough brown head and upper parts.
The breeding session of Magpie robins starts in India from March to July and January to June in south-east Asia. During courtship or wooing males sing from high lands or perches. After this display of the male birds show that it stats puffing up the feathers, raising the beak, waving the tail and walking or marching.
Doel makes their nests in hollow trees, walls, houses and building. They fill their native nest with grass. A week before eggs laying Female starts their nest box.
They are capable of laying four (4) or five (5) eggs in 24 hours. Hatching or incubation of eggs takes 8 to 14 days when female performed it alone. It has characteristic nests scent or fragrance.
10 Facts about Magpie robin(Doel)
- Magpie robin is the native and most popular bird of Bangladesh country.
- Its famous for songs in several country like india,Singapore,Hong kong and Pakistan
- January to July it starts its breeding or production season is.
- Its favorite free areas are gardens, mangroves, fostered and rural areas.
- Its main source of food is insects on ground and also flower nectar.
- It is also common in Malaysia and use for cage bird trading.
- Its male species sing loudly from high points of tree and other high perches during breeding.
- It has conservative nature so don’t migrate from one place to other.
- The Avian malaria parasites have been isolated from the birds. In some cases H4N3 and H5N1 infection has been noted .
- In early ages it was uses for fighting in India i.e. birds fighting competition.
- It featured or appears on currency notes of Bangladesh.
- In Dhaka city the landmark is named as the Doyel Chatwar (meaning: Doyel Square).
- Sri Lankan people call this bird Polkichcha.
History Of Magpie robin( Doel)
It is the official bird of Bangladesh. Commonly known as the doyel or doel (Bengali: দোয়েল). Its history will be clear from the synopsis of john Rays (methodicam avium and piscium). Formally in 1737 for the first time it was describe and used by Eleazar Albin (“dialbird”) (Suppl. N. H. Birds, i. p. 17, pls. xvii. xviii.), and Levaillant (Ois. d’Afr. iii. p. 50). It is also referred to a sun dial and he called it Cadran. Thomas C. Jerdon wrote (B. India, ii. p. 1l6) that Linnaeus, thinking it had some connection with a sun-dial, called it solaris, by lapsus pennae, saularis.
In 1920s it was famous and common in Singapore and Hong Kong. Where in Malay language it was named as (Murai Kampung/cacing). In 1970s due to its competition with the introduction of mynas it existence declined.
Why is magpie robin (Doel) the National bird of Bangladesh
Every country has unique emblems which range anthem, uniform, tree, Flower, animal and a flag alongside this country also have a national bird to represent its gardens, trade and forest habitation. All the national bird signifies certain principles that a nation stands for. Let’s know the Bangladesh national bird.
Magpie robin (Doel) is small attractive, charming and singing bird. Mostly found in India Bangladesh, Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia and Malaysia.it is a decoration of garden, source of sweet song and cage bird trading.in several countries especially in Malaysia Doel is trapped and use in cage bird trading.
Due to all these facts Magpie robin becomes the official and national bird of Bangladesh. This was a detailed post about Magpie Robin bird. Kindly do let us share your thoughts about it.
- Check Also: National bird of Sri Lanka
- Check Also: National bird of Afghanistan