- Surniculus velutinus
Identification
23cm (9 in).
- Blackish plumage, velvety head and mantle, glossy purplish, blue or green wings and tail
- Square tail
- White bar on underside of wing
- White leggings
- Brown eye
Sexes similar. Juveniles are unmarked rusty-brown.
Similar species
Very similar to Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo but no gloss on head and mantle.
Distribution
The Philippines and Sulu Islands.
Common in primary forest. However, this habitat is rapidly vanishing on the Philippines.
Taxonomy
Subspecies
Three subspecies recognized[1]:
- S. v. chalybaeus on Luzon, Mindoro and Negros
- S. v. velutinus in the southern Philippines on Basilan, Biliran, Leyte, Samar, Mindanao, Malamaui and Bohol.
- S. v. suluensis on Jolo, Bongao and Tawi Tawi
Forms a superspecies with Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo, Fork-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo and Moluccan Drongo-Cuckoo and was in the past lumped with these species under the name Drongo-Cuckoo.
Habitat
Lowland forest, in the canopy or understory.
Occurs from sea-level up to 1000m.
Behaviour
Diet
Feeds on insects, forages mainly in the canopy.
Breeding
No information about breeding.
Movements
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2019. The eBird/Clements Checklist of Birds of the World: v2019. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- Del Hoyo, J, A Elliot, and J Sargatal, eds. 1997. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 4: Sandgrouse to Cuckoos. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334221
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Philippine Drongo-Cuckoo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 12 May 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Philippine_Drongo-Cuckoo
