NESTING OF THE WHITE-RUMPED SHAMA (COPSYCHUS MALABARICUS) IN SOUTHERN VIETNAM

We describe nesting of the White-rumped Shama (Copsychus malabaricus) in artificial and natural nest cavities in lowland tropical forest and seral stage habitats at Cat Tien National Park and Biosphere Reserve in southern Vietnam. The data was collected from March 7 until July 7 in 2008 in Cat Tien National Park, South Vietnam, on 168 artificial nesting boxes. All taken nest boxes were occupied only by White-rumped Shama. It took up boxes in all studied habitats: in the Lagerstroemia forest 61.5% of nest boxes was occupied, in shrub habitat (low brush and bamboo tangles) 55.8%, and in forest edges 44.1%. Clutches were found in 73 boxes (43.4%). The full clutches contained 1-4 eggs, most of them (62%) had three eggs. In average, the hatching was observed 13.4 days after egg-laying. The size of Shama male's territory was 0.3 ha. Nest-building, brooding, feeding of young, nest predation, interspecific competition for breeding sites in native natural habitat are described.