Alternative name: Greater Wallacean Drongo (densus)
Includes: Flores Spangled Drongo, Kai Spangled Drongo, Lombok Spangled Drongo, Sumba Spangled Drongo, Tanimbar Spangled Drongo, Timor Spangled Drongo
- Dicrurus densus
Identification
28 - 38cm.
- Dull blue-black plumage with greenish gloss
- Well developed feathers at base of bill extending forwards over culmen
- Long and deeply forked tail, tips slightly upcurved
- Thick, heavy and highly arched bill, ending in strong downward curve
- Red bill
Sexes similar but females slightly smaller. Juveniles have a dark brown eye.
The different subspecies differ mainly in size, bill size and glossiness.
The only drongo in its range.
Distribution
Found in the Lesser Sundas and southeast Moluccas, Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
Fairly common and widespread but some races have a very restricted range and few data is available for some of them.
Taxonomy
The morphologically and vocally diverse subspecies in this taxon may in fact be separate species. They may be elevated as follows: bimaensis ("Flores Spangled Drongo", D. bimaensis), densus ("Timor Spangled Drongo", D. densus), kuehni ("Tanimbar Spangled Drongo", D. kuehni), megalornis ("Kai Spangled Drongo", D. megalornis), sumbae ("Sumba Spangled Drongo", D. sumbae), vicinus ("Lombok Spangled Drongo", D. vicinus) [3]
This is a polytypic species [1] consisting of 6 subspecies:
Subspecies
- D. d. vicinus: "Lombok Spangled Drongo". Lombok (western Lesser Sundas)
- D. d. bimaensis: "Flores Spangled Drongo". Lesser Sundas (Sumbawa to Alor)
- D. d. sumbae: "Sumba Spangled Drongo". Sumba (Lesser Sundas)
- D. d. densus: "Timor Spangled Drongo". Eastern Lesser Sundas (Rote, Semau, Timor, Wetar, Sermata, Luang)
- D. d. kuehni: "Tanimbar Spangled Drongo". Tanimbar Islands (Arafura Sea)
- D. d. megalornis: "Kai Spangled Drongo". Seram Laut (Gorong, Manawoka), Watubela and Kai Islands
The taxon has been considered conspecific with Hair-crested Drongo.
Habitat
Moist lowland forests, mangrove forests and montanes. Occurs from sea-level to montane forest (up to 1650m on Flores)
Behaviour
Feeds on insects. Perches under canopy, sallying from a branch to seize insects.
Usually seen singly or in pairs, on Sumba sometimes in bigger groups of up to 10 birds. Often near groups of Crab-eating Macaques on Sumba.
Only a few data about breeding on Flores. One nest was 10m above the ground, eggs were laid from October to December.
A resident species.
References
- Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, S. M. Billerman, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2021. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2021. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
- 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
- Eaton, J.A.. van Balen, B. Brickle, N.W., B Rheindk F.E. (2021). Birds of the Indonesian Archipelago, Greater Sundas and Wallacea. Lynx Edicions. Barcelona. Second Edition
Recommended Citation
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Wallacean Drongo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Wallacean_Drongo
