The pied bush chat (Saxicola caprata)

The pied bush chat (Saxicola caprata) is a small passerine bird that inhabits areas from West Asia and Central Asia to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It has about sixteen recognized subspecies across its extensive range, including many island variants.

Visual Appeal and Unique Characteristics

This bird is commonly seen in the countryside and open scrub or grassland, often perched atop short thorn trees or other shrubs, scanning for insect prey. It primarily captures insects from the ground and was previously classified with other chats in the thrush family Turdidae. However, it is now regarded as part of the Old World flycatchers.

Distribution and Habitat

They build their nests in crevices within stone walls or in holes in embankments, using grass and animal hair to line them. Males are black with white patches on their shoulders and vents, with the size of these patches differing among populations. Females are mainly brown, whereas juveniles have a speckled appearance.

Some populations exhibit partial migration. A ringed individual of the rossorum subspecies was recovered in Israel. Populations in India also seem to display seasonal movements, though the patterns remain unclear. The bicolor subspecies is found in peninsular India during winter. In Karwar on the western coast, it is reported to appear in October and remain until May, but it is not seen during the rainy season. It is said to be absent in the Baroda district of Gujarat from April to September. Claud Buchanan Ticehurst observed that it was a summer visitor to Baluchistan, departing in October, and noted that the birds from Baluchistan were indistinguishable from the rossorum of Turkestan.

Flight Display and Behavior

The breeding season primarily occurs from February to August, with a peak between March and June. Males sing from noticeable perches. Their whistling call resembles that of an Indian robin and is often transcribed as we are tea for two, with tea at a higher pitch. The nest is constructed in a hole in a wall or a similar location, lined with grass and hair, and contains two to five eggs. Males with partners did not decrease their dawn singing when their mates were captured and temporarily removed from the territory. This study indicates that males use the dawn chorus to manage social interactions with neighboring males to assert an established territory. The eggs are small, broadly oval, with a pale bluish-white or pinkish base color and speckles and blotches near the broad end. They measure approximately 0.67 by 0.55 inches (1.7 by 1.4 cm). The eggs are mainly incubated by the female for 12 to 13 days.

Cultural Significance

Among the Toda people in the Nilgiris, the pied bushchat, known as kāŗpiłc, is considered a bird of omen. A story explains the origin of its white wing patches: a dairy priest named Piu.f forgot to remove the churning stick during a milk-churning ritual before going to fetch water from a stream. The bird tried to block his way, but he ignored it and flicked butter from his hands. The white spots remained, but Piu.f eventually met his death. The Kotas of the Nilgiris have their own origin story explaining the sexual dimorphism of the pied bushchat, viewing the "karyvaky" bird as a harbinger of good omen. Meanwhile, the Kalam people of Papua New Guinea see these birds as divine messengers.