| Sri Lanka shama | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Male | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Muscicapidae |
| Genus: | Copsychus |
| Species: | C. leggei |
| Binomial name | |
| Copsychus leggei Whistler, 1941 | |
The Sri Lanka shama (Copsychus leggei) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that is endemic to Sri Lanka. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-rumped shama.
The Sri Lanka shama was formally described in 1941 by the English ornithologist Hugh Whistler as a subspecies of the white-rumped shama. He coined the trinomial name Kittacincla malabarica leggei where the epithet leggei was chosen to honour the memory of the ornithologist William Vincent Legge who had documented the birds of Sri Lanka. [1] [2] [3] The Sri Lanka shama is now placed with 16 other species in the genus Copsychus that was introduced in 1827 by the German naturalist Johann Georg Wagler. [4] It was formerly considered as subspecies of the white-rumped shama (Copsychus malabaricus) but is now treated as a separate species based on morphological differences and a molecular genetic study of museum specimens published in 2022. [4] [5] The species is monotypic: no subspecies are recognised. [4]
The Sri Lanka shama has glossy blue-black upperparts, bright chestnut underparts, a white rump and white outer tail feathers. The sexes are similar. Compared to the nominate subspecies of white-rumped shama that is present in India, the Sri Lanka shama has a shorter tail, paler belly and less sexual dimorphism. [6]
The magpie-robins or shamas are medium-sized insectivorous birds in the genus Copsychus. They were formerly in the thrush family Turdidae, but are now treated as part of the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. They are garden- and forest-dwelling species found in Africa and Asia.
The besra, also called the besra sparrowhawk, is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae. It was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter. The name "besra" is from the Hindi word for the species.
The crested goshawk is a bird of prey in the family Accipitridae that is widely distributed in tropical Asia. It was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.
The dark-fronted babbler is an Old World babbler found in the Western Ghats of India and the forests of Sri Lanka. They are small chestnut brown birds with a dark black cap, a whitish underside and pale yellow iris. They forage in flocks in the undergrowth of forests constantly making calls and uttering alarm calls when disturbed.
The Indian robin is a species of passarine bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is widespread in the Indian subcontinent and ranges across Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The males of the northern subspecies have brown backs whose extent gradually reduces southwards, with the males of the southern subspecies having all-black backs. They are commonly found in open scrub areas and often seen running along the ground or perching on low thorny shrubs and rocks. The long tail is usually held up and the chestnut undertail coverts and dark body make them easily distinguishable from pied bushchats and Oriental magpie-robins.
The Oriental magpie-robin is a small passerine bird that was formerly classed as a member of the thrush family Turdidae, but now considered an Old World flycatcher. They are distinctive black and white birds with a long tail that is held upright as they forage on the ground or perch conspicuously. Occurring across most of the Indian subcontinent and parts of Southeast Asia, they are common birds in urban gardens as well as forests. They are particularly well known for their songs and were once popular as cagebirds.
The white-rumped shama is a passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. Native to densely vegetated habitats in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, its popularity as a cage-bird and songster has led to it being introduced elsewhere. The Larwo shama, the Kangean shama and the Sri Lanka shama were formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-rumped shama.
The common woodshrike is a species of bird found in Asia. It is now usually considered a member of the family Vangidae. It is small and ashy brown with a dark cheek patch and a broad white brow. It is found across Asia mainly in thin forest and scrub habitats where they hunt insects, often joining other insectivorous birds. The form found in Sri Lanka which was treated as a subspecies is now usually considered a separate species, the Sri Lanka woodshrike.
The red-thighed sparrowhawk, alternatively known as the red-legged sparrowhawk or western little sparrowhawk, is a species of sparrowhawk in the family Accipitridae from western and northern central Africa. This species was formerly placed in the genus Accipiter.
The white-browed shama is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Philippines found only on the islands of Luzon,Marinduque and the Polillo Islands. The Visayan shama, formerly considered a subspecies, was split as a distinct species in 2021.
The rufous-tailed shama is a species of passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is found in extreme southern Thailand, Malaysia, Sumatra, and Borneo, where its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and subtropical or tropical swamps. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The Venezuelan tyrannulet is a species of passerine bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is endemic to Venezuela.
The tropical royal flycatcher is a passerine bird that the International Ornithological Committee (IOC) places in the family Tityridae. It is found in Mexico, south through most of Central America, and in every mainland South American country except Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay.
The Guianan tyrannulet is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Brazil, French Guiana, Guyana, Suriname, and Venezuela.
The white-crowned shama is a medium sized passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to the Southeast Asian island of Borneo. The Maratua shama was formerly treated as a subspecies.
The Visayan shama is a species of bird in the family Muscicapidae. It is endemic to Ticao, Masbate, Negros, and Panay in the Philippines. It formerly considered a subspecies of the white-browed shama.
Coopmans's tyrannulet is a species of bird in the family Tyrannidae, the tyrant flycatchers. It is found in Colombia and Venezuela.
The Larwo shama is a medium sized passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae. It is native to central and eastern Java. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-rumped shama.
The Kangean shama is a medium sized passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that is endemic to the Kangean Islands in Indonesia. It was formerly considered to be conspecific with the white-rumped shama. The species may be extinct in the wild.
The Maratua shama is a medium sized passerine bird in the Old World flycatcher family Muscicapidae that is found on the small island of Maratua, east of Borneo in Indonesia. It may now be extinct in the wild. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the white-crowned shama.