The racket-tailed treepie is an Asian treepie, a member of the crow family, Corvidae.
Region
Southeast Asia
Typical Environment
Found across mainland Southeast Asia, including Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, with occurrences in adjacent southern China and peninsular regions. It favors lowland and foothill habitats, especially forest edges, secondary evergreen and deciduous woodland, bamboo thickets, and riparian corridors. The species readily uses degraded forest and scrub, and often forages along roadsides and in plantations near forest. It can persist in fragmented landscapes provided some tree cover remains.
Altitude Range
0–1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 2/5
The racket-tailed treepie is an Asian treepie in the crow family (Corvidae), notable for its long tail with spatulate, racket-like tips. It is highly vocal and agile, often moving through forest edges and secondary growth in small groups. Adaptable to disturbed habitats, it frequently visits plantations and gardens near forests. Its varied calls include harsh chatters and metallic notes, and it sometimes joins mixed-species flocks.
Temperament
social and active
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with buoyant, maneuverable glides
Social Behavior
Usually seen in pairs or small family parties and sometimes associates with mixed-species flocks. Nests are typically cup-shaped and placed in trees or dense shrubs. Both sexes are vocal and engage in cooperative vigilance while foraging.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A varied series of harsh chatters, grating croaks, and metallic clicks interspersed with whistles. Calls are frequently given while moving through foliage and can carry well at forest edges.
Plumage
Glossy, sleek plumage with a greenish-black metallic sheen; long, graduated tail ending in spatulate 'rackets'.
Diet
Omnivorous, taking insects and other arthropods, small vertebrates, eggs, and a variety of fruits and berries. It gleans from foliage and branches, probes bark crevices, and occasionally snaps prey in short sallies. Opportunistic around human-modified areas, it may exploit cultivated fruit and refuse.
Preferred Environment
Forages in the understory to mid-canopy along forest edges, secondary growth, bamboo, and riparian thickets. Also uses plantations, orchards, and gardens adjacent to woodland.
