Pied Triller

 In Malay this bird is known as Rembah Kening Putih.

In English, "Pied" has nothing to do with food pies or mathematical symbols. The word has existed since Proto-Indo-European (so 5000 years or more) and means boldly coloured in black and white. (See also magpie, pied kingfisher, pied cuckoo, etc.)

As you should expect from their name, male pied trillers are black and white above and white below; females and juveniles are greyish-brown and white.  These colours may appear bold in a photo.  However, in a well-shaded tree, it is my experience that the bird is well camouflaged. Although the patches of colour are themselves conspicuous, the outline is disrupted and does not immediately 'register' in one's mind as a bird.  

Pied Trillers are insectivores.  They catch insects on the ground,  on leaves, and- sometimes- in mid-air.

The nest is an open cup made from twigs and moss. A clutch consists of just 1 or 2 eggs.

A male Pied Triller in a Cannonball tree.   Although these trees are native to South America  they are cultivated in tropical regions worldwide because of their beautiful flowers (and curiously cannonball shaped fruits).  Many biologists would prefer that we plant native trees in our gardens.  It may seem that birds can perch anywhere.  However, exotic tress are less likely to have a sufficient insect population for parent birds to feed their nestlings. 

When perched at tree-top, the disruptive camouflage effect is gone.