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Difference between revisions of "Black Drongo" - BirdForum Opus

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[[Image:Black_Drongo.jpg|thumb|550px|right|Photo by {{user|Chaiyan|Chaiyan}}<br />Central [[Thailand]], December 2002]]
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[[Image:37319Drongo Black.jpg|thumb|400px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|jasnjohn|jasnjohn}}<br />Kuala Selangor Nature Park, [[Malaysia]], June 2006]]
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'''Alternative name: King Crow'''
 
;[[:Category:Dicrurus|Dicrurus]] macrocercus
 
;[[:Category:Dicrurus|Dicrurus]] macrocercus
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Deeply forked long tail with slightly upturned tips distinctive. Plumage black with slight gloss.
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27 - 31cm (10½-12¼ in). A common drongo of south and southeast Asia:
 +
* Entirely semi-glossy black plumage
 +
* Long, deeply forked and well-flared tail
 +
* Small white spot at gape ([[Dictionary_P-S#R|rictal]] spot)
 +
* Dull red eyes
 +
Sexes similar, females are slightly smaller. Juveniles are blackish-brown.
 +
====Similar species====
 +
[[Image:Black_drongo.JPG|thumb|300px|right|Ssp. albirictus, sub-adult showing mixed black-brown plumage-color <br/ >Photo &copy; by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}} <br/ > [[Bharatpur Keoladeo National Park]], [[India]], July. 2015]]
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[[Ashy Drongo]] is smaller and slimmer and has a longer and narrower-splayed tail. It has also brighter red eyes.<br />
 +
The fork-tailed form of [[Asian Drongo-Cuckoo]] can be quite similar.
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 
{| cellpadding="5"
 
{| cellpadding="5"
 
|-
 
|-
 
| rowspan=2 valign="center"|
 
| rowspan=2 valign="center"|
[[Image:Map-Black Drongo.jpg|450px|left]]
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[[Image:Map-Black Drongo.jpg|350px|left]]
 
|
 
|
The [[India]]n subcontinent and [[China]] through South-East [[Asia]] discontinuously to [[Java]] and [[Bali]].
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The [[India]]n subcontinent and [[China]] through South-East [[Asia]] discontinuously to [[Java]] and [[Bali]].<br />
 +
Introduced in Northern Marianas (Rota Island) from where it colonized [[Guam]].
 
|-
 
|-
 
|<font size=4>Legend</font><br />
 
|<font size=4>Legend</font><br />
Line 18: Line 29:
 
|}
 
|}
  
[[Image:1568black drongo juvP9208385.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo by {{user|Neil|Neil}}<br />[[Hong Kong]], [[China]], September 2006]]
 
 
==Taxonomy==
 
==Taxonomy==
====Subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>====
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There are 7 subspecies.
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====Subspecies====
* ''D. m. albirictus'' from south-eastern [[Iran]] to [[Afghanistan]] and northern [[India]]
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[[Image:Black-Drongo.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Juvenile<br />Photo &copy; by {{user|obroadie|obroadie}}<br />Sukhothai, [[Thailand]], August 2016]]
* ''D. m. macrocercus'' in Peninsular India
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There are 7 subspecies<sup>[[#References|[1]]]</sup>:
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* ''D. m. albirictus'' in the [[Himalayas]] from eastern [[Afghanistan]] and [[Pakistan]] east to northern [[Burma]] and southeast [[Tibet]], south to central [[India]]. Wintering in southern [[India]], southern [[Burma]] and northern [[Thailand]]
 +
* ''D. m. macrocercus'' in Peninsular [[India]]
 
* ''D. m. minor'' in [[Sri Lanka]]
 
* ''D. m. minor'' in [[Sri Lanka]]
* ''D. m. cathoecus'' in [[China]], northern [[Myanmar]], northern [[Thailand]], [[Laos]], northern [[Vietnam]] and [[Malaysia]]
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* ''D. m. cathoecus'' in [[China]], northern [[Burma]], northern [[Thailand]], [[Laos]], northern [[Vietnam]] and Laos. Winters south to peninsular [[Malaysia]] and [[Singapore]].
* ''D. m. thai'' in southern Myanmar, southern Thailand and ssouthern Vietnam
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* ''D. m. thai'' in southern [[Burma]], southern [[Thailand]], southern [[Vietnam]] and probably eastern [[Cambodia]].
 
* ''D. m. harterti'' in [[Taiwan]]
 
* ''D. m. harterti'' in [[Taiwan]]
 
* ''D. m. javanus'' in [[Java]] and [[Bali]]
 
* ''D. m. javanus'' in [[Java]] and [[Bali]]
 +
Forms a superspecies with [[Fork-tailed Drongo]] and is sometimes considered conspecific.
 
==Habitat==
 
==Habitat==
Open country and ricefields.
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Open country and farmland with scattered trees. Also in villages, parks, gardens and towns.
 
==Behaviour==
 
==Behaviour==
 +
[[Image:Thailand 2015 026.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Photo &copy; by {{user|HS-TRA|HS-TRA}}<br />[[Thailand]], February 2015]]
 
Gregarious, gathering in small groups. Hawks for insects from open perches, including small trees and telephone wires. Forms communal roosts.
 
Gregarious, gathering in small groups. Hawks for insects from open perches, including small trees and telephone wires. Forms communal roosts.
 +
====Breeding====
 +
A solitary, highly territorial nester. Defends its nest against bigger birds like crows or raptors. The nest is a broad shallow cup, made of twigs, rootlets, fine grass stems and other vegetable matter. It's placed 4 - 7m above the ground in a tree. Lays 2 - 5 eggs.
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====Diet====
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Their diet consists of insects, including locusts, grasshoppers, beetles and crickets.
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====Vocalisation====
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Singing while perched in an Eucalyptus Tree. Continuous calls of Bar-headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck and Delicate Prinia are heard in the recording as well.<br/>
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{{ Audio|Black_Drongo_audio_Alok.mp3 }}<br />
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Audio &copy; by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br />
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Village Bhindawas, Jhajjar, Haryana, [[India]]. 7 December 2023.
 +
 
==References==
 
==References==
#{{Ref-Clements6thDec08}}
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#{{Ref-Clements6thAug18}}#{{Ref-HBWVol14}}#{{Ref-RasmussenAnderton05}}
 
{{ref}}
 
{{ref}}
 
==External Links==
 
==External Links==
{{GSearch|Dicrurus+macrocercus}}  
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{{GSearch|"Dicrurus macrocercus" {{!}} "Black Drongo"}}
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<br />
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{{VSearch|"Dicrurus macrocercus" {{!}} "Dicrurus macrocercus"}}
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 +
{{GS-checked}}
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<br />
 +
<br />
  
[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Dicrurus]]
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[[Category:Birds]] [[Category:Dicrurus]] [[Category: Maps]] [[Category:Bird Songs]][[Category:Videos]]

Latest revision as of 09:21, 15 December 2023

Photo © by jasnjohn
Kuala Selangor Nature Park, Malaysia, June 2006

Alternative name: King Crow

Dicrurus macrocercus

Identification

27 - 31cm (10½-12¼ in). A common drongo of south and southeast Asia:

  • Entirely semi-glossy black plumage
  • Long, deeply forked and well-flared tail
  • Small white spot at gape (rictal spot)
  • Dull red eyes

Sexes similar, females are slightly smaller. Juveniles are blackish-brown.

Similar species

Ssp. albirictus, sub-adult showing mixed black-brown plumage-color
Photo © by Alok Tewari
Bharatpur Keoladeo National Park, India, July. 2015

Ashy Drongo is smaller and slimmer and has a longer and narrower-splayed tail. It has also brighter red eyes.
The fork-tailed form of Asian Drongo-Cuckoo can be quite similar.

Distribution

Map-Black Drongo.jpg

The Indian subcontinent and China through South-East Asia discontinuously to Java and Bali.
Introduced in Northern Marianas (Rota Island) from where it colonized Guam.

Legend

all year
summer
winter
Maps/Texts consulted2

Taxonomy

Subspecies

Juvenile
Photo © by obroadie
Sukhothai, Thailand, August 2016

There are 7 subspecies[1]:

Forms a superspecies with Fork-tailed Drongo and is sometimes considered conspecific.

Habitat

Open country and farmland with scattered trees. Also in villages, parks, gardens and towns.

Behaviour

Photo © by HS-TRA
Thailand, February 2015

Gregarious, gathering in small groups. Hawks for insects from open perches, including small trees and telephone wires. Forms communal roosts.

Breeding

A solitary, highly territorial nester. Defends its nest against bigger birds like crows or raptors. The nest is a broad shallow cup, made of twigs, rootlets, fine grass stems and other vegetable matter. It's placed 4 - 7m above the ground in a tree. Lays 2 - 5 eggs.

Diet

Their diet consists of insects, including locusts, grasshoppers, beetles and crickets.

Vocalisation

Singing while perched in an Eucalyptus Tree. Continuous calls of Bar-headed Geese, Ruddy Shelduck and Delicate Prinia are heard in the recording as well.

Audio © by Alok Tewari
Village Bhindawas, Jhajjar, Haryana, India. 7 December 2023.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2018. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2018. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Del Hoyo, J, A Elliott, and D Christie, eds. 2009. Handbook of the Birds of the World. Volume 14: Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8496553507
  3. Rasmussen, PC and JC Anderton. 2005. Birds of South Asia: The Ripley Guide. Barcelona: Lynx Edicions. ISBN 978-8487334672

Recommended Citation

External Links


GSearch checked for 2020 platform.

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