Black drongo
Black drongo | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Aves |
Order: | Passeriformes |
Family: | Dicruridae |
Genus: | Dicrurus |
Species: | D. macrocercus
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Binomial name | |
Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817
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Subspecies | |
D. m. macrocercus (Vieillot, 1817)[2] | |
Approximate range
Breeding visitor Present year-round Winter visitor only
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Synonyms | |
Buchanga atra |
The black drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is a small Asian
The species is known for its aggressive behaviour towards much larger birds, such as crows, never hesitating to dive-bomb any bird of prey that invades its territory. This behaviour earns it the informal name of king crow. Smaller birds often nest in the well-guarded vicinity of a nesting black drongo. Previously grouped along with the African fork-tailed drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis), the Asian forms are now treated as a separate species with several distinct populations.
The black drongo is listed as
Taxonomy and systematics
The black drongo was once considered a subspecies of the
Seven subspecies have been named
Description
This bird is glossy black with a wide fork to the tail. Adults usually have a small white spot at the base of the
They are aggressive and fearless birds, and although only 28 cm (11 in) in length, they will attack much larger species that enter their nesting territory, including crows and
They are capable of producing a wide range of calls but a common call is a two note tee-hee call resembling that of the shikra (Accipiter badius).[13]
Distribution and habitat
The black drongo is found predominantly in open country and usually perches and hunts close to the ground. They are mostly aerial predators of insects but also glean from the ground or off vegetation. They are found as summer visitors to northeastern Afghanistan and northern Pakistan but are residents from the Indus Valley until Bangladesh and into India and Sri Lanka.[13] Some populations show seasonal movements[17] that are poorly understood while populations in Korea are known to be migratory.[18][19] The black drongo can be found in savanna, fields, and urban habitats.
Black drongos were introduced just before the Second World War from Taiwan to the island of
Behaviour and ecology
Food and foraging
Black drongos become active very early at dawn and roost later than many other birds. They feed mainly on insects such as grasshoppers, cicadas,
Nesting and breeding
Black drongos breed mainly in February and March in southern India, and until August in other parts of the country. Males and females sing in the mornings during the breeding season. Courtship can include aerobatic chases and they may lock their wings and beaks together, with the pair sometimes falling to the ground. Displays may be made on the ground.[47] Pair bonds are retained for a whole breeding season. The nest is a cup made with a thin layer of sticks placed in the fork of branch, and is built in a week by both the male and female. Eggs are laid close to the first rains in April.[15] The usual clutch is three or rarely four eggs laid in a cup nest placed in the fork of an outer branch of tree. Large leafy trees such as the jackfruit are preferred. The eggs are pale cream to red with spots and markings and are 26 mm (1.0 in) long and 19 mm (0.75 in) wide. The eggs are incubated by both parents and hatch after 14 to 15 days. Nestlings are brooded for the first five days, after which the young are capable of maintaining a fairly constant body temperature.[15] A second clutch may be laid if the first is destroyed.[17] Nests are sometimes built in telephone poles.[48] A nesting territory of 0.003 to 0.012 km2 (0.3 to 1.2 hectares) is maintained.[15]
Helpers, offspring from the previous brood, have sometimes been noted to assist in feeding the fledglings at the nest of their parents.[49] Cases of brood parasitism by the Asian koel have been noted.[50] An average breeding success of 44% has been noted with the main cause of fledgling mortality being shortage of insect food which in turn was dependent on rainfall.[15]
Mobbing and proximity nesting
Their habit of driving away predators from near their nests is believed to encourage other birds such as orioles, doves, pigeons, babblers,[51] and especially bulbuls, to nest in the vicinity.[52][53] In one study 18 of 40 nests had red-vented bulbuls nesting within 10 metres (33 ft).[15] An abnormal case of interspecific feeding with a red-vented bulbul feeding the chicks of a black drongo at their nest has been recorded.[54]
Growth and development
Young birds have a yellowish-red gape. The feather follicles appear on the fourth day and pin feathers emerge after a week. Nestlings increase in weight steadily until they are 12 days old. The eyes open on the eighth day, the iris reddish-black while the gape turns red. The young leave the nest after about 16 to 20 days after hatching. They do not have the fork in the tail until three weeks. The parents continue to feed and protect them for a month. Young birds may beg for food for longer, but are often ignored or chased away by the adults. Birds reach breeding condition in about two years.[15]
In southern India, they
Parasites and diseases
Many ectoparasitic
Relationship to humans
Their habit of preying on bees[67] makes them a nuisance to bee-keepers, but farmers attract them to their fields using artificial perches in fields to encourage them to feed on pest insects.[68][69]
In culture
Being common, they have a wide range of local names. The older genus name of Buchanga was derived from the Hindi name of Bhujanga. Other local names include "srigunting hitam" in Indonesia, Thampal in Pakistan, Gohalo/Kolaho in Baluchistan, Kalkalachi in Sindhi, Kotwal (policeman) in Hindi; Finge or Finga in Bengali; Phesu in Assamese; Cheiroi in Manipuri; Kosita/Kalo koshi in Gujarati; Ghosia in Marathi; Kajalapati in Oriya; Kari kuruvi (charcoal bird), Erettai valan (two tail) in Tamil; Passala poli gadu in Telugu; Aanaranji (elephant snatcher) in Malayalam; Kari bhujanga in Kannada and Kalu Kawuda in Sinhalese.[70] The soliga people do not differentiate this and the bronzed drongo, both being known as karaḷi but the greater racket-tailed drongo is called dodda karaḷi (or large karaḷi).[71] A superstition in central India is that cattle would lose their horn if a newly fledged drongo alighted on it.[30] It is held in reverence in parts of Punjab in the belief that it brought water to Husayn ibn Ali, revered by Shī‘a Muslims.[72]
References
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- ^ Swinhoe, Robert (1871). "A revised catalogue of the birds of China and its islands, with descriptions of new species, references to former notes, and occasional remarks". Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London. 2: 337–423.
- ^ a b Kloss, Cecil Boden (1921). "New and known oriental birds". Journal of the Federated Malay States Museums. 10 (2): 207–213.
- ^ Baker, Edward Charles Stuart (1918). "Some Notes on the Dicruridae". Novitates Zoologicae. 25: 299.
- ^ Neave, Sheffield A., ed. (1939). Nomenclator Zoologicus; a List of the Names of Genera and Subgenera in Zoology from the Tenth Edition of Linnaeus, 1758, to the End of 1935 (with supplements). Volume 1. Zoological Society of London, London. p. 425.
- ^ a b Sharpe, R. Bowdler (1877). Catalogue of the birds in the British Museum. Vol. 3. London: British Museum. pp. 228–265.
- ^ a b Deignan, Herbert G. (1945). "The birds of northern Thailand". Bulletin of the United States National Museum. 186: 287–296.
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- ^ Chari, N.; Janaki Rama Rao, N.; Ramesh, R.; Sattaiah, G. (1982). "Comparative studies on flight characteristics, moment of inertia and flight behaviour of two fly-catchers, Dicrurus adsimilis and Merops orientalis". Indian Journal of Experimental Biology. 20: 894–896.
- ^ a b c Whistler, Hugh (1949). Popular handbook of Indian birds (4th ed.). Gurney and Jackson, London. pp. 155–157.
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- ^ Biddulph, C.H. (1954). "Possible association between the large yellow-naped woodpecker and the large racket-tailed drongo". Journal of the Bombay Natural History Society. 52: 209.
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Other sources
- Bhujle BV, Nadkarni VB (1980). "Histological and histochemical observations on the adrenal gland of four species of birds, Dicrurus macrocercus (Vieillot), Centropus sinensis (Stephens), Sturnus pagodarum (Gmelin) and Columba livia (Gmelin)". Zoologische Beiträge. 26 (2): 287–295.
- Lamba, BS (1963) The nidification of some common Indian birds. 3. The Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot). Res. Bull. Panjab Univ. 14(1–2):1–9.
- Shukkur EAA, Joseph KJ (1980). "Annual rhythm in the Black Drongo Dicrurus adsimilis (family Dicruridae, Passeriformes, Aves)". Comparative Physiology and Ecology. 5 (2): 76–77.
- Shukkur, EAA (1978) Biology, Ecology and Behaviour of the Black Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis). Thesis, University of Calicut.
External links
- Black drongo videos, photos & sounds on the Internet Bird Collection