Appearance
The white-crowned shama is about 21–28 cm in length tail in adult males) and 31–42 g in weight. Mainly blue-black upperparts contrast with orange-rufous underparts. It has a white rump and black throat. It is largely similar in appearance to the white-rumped shama subspecies ''C. m. suavis'', which replaces it in southern and western Borneo, and hybridises with it where the ranges meet. It differs in having a white, rather than black, crown. The distinctive Maratua form ''C. s. barbouri'' is about 20% longer than the nominate, and has an all-black tail, rather than white outer rectrices.
Cultural
White-crowned shamas are bred by local aviculturists in Borneo as cage-birds valued for their singing ability. They continue to be trapped as it is believed that wild-caught young birds are stronger, and better songsters, than those bred in captivity.References:
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