In order to develop ornithological science, collection and interpretation of field data on different aspects of birds’ life seem imperative. However, such studies are scanty in the Indian subcontinent. In this study, attempts have been made to understand the breeding behaviour of the Oriental Magpie Robin (Copsychus saularis), a tropical song bird. Observations were made on ringed individuals using binoculars and still camera during 2008-10 in different orchards of district Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India. Results revealed that the breeding season of the Oriental Magpie Robin ranged from March to August. Males delivered dawn chorus 38.2±9.1 minutes before sunrise during breeding season. Males used continuous and discrete songs which seemed to play roles in inter- and intrasexual communication respectively. The bird nested in the cavities found in a variety of tree species such as Mangifera indica, Pyrus pyrifolia, Eriobotrya japonica, Syzygium cumini, Neolamarckia cadamba, Morus alba etc. Nest building was performed by female and nest building period averaged 13.7±3.6 days. Clutch size averaged 4.8±0.8 eggs. Egg size and weight averaged 21.61 x 16.85 mm and 3.2±0.1 g respectively. Female developed the brood patch and incubated eggs for a mean of 12.4±0.5 days. Both sexes fed the young. Inter- and intra-specific fights for nesting cavities were common in the study area suggesting nest site scarcity for hole-nesting birds mainly due to habitat destruction. We nailed wooden nest boxes in the study area which were easily selected by Oriental Magpie Robin for nesting.

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