From Opus

Photo by Rajiv Lather
Photographed: Himachal Pradesh, India

Dicrurus leucophaeus

[edit] Identification

Size: 29cm.
Body plumage is mostly grey. Long deeply forked tail.

See below for subspecies variations

[edit] Distribution

Breeding in the Indian subcontinent and China through south-east.Asia to the Greater Sundas, Bali, Lombok and the Philippines. Northern populations winter south to tropical latitudes.

Photo by scottishdude
Middle of China, June 2008

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 14 subspecies;

• D. l. longicaudatus: Eastern Afghanistan to Sikkim; winters to southern India and Sri Lanka
• D. l. hopwoodi: Eastern Himalayas to Myanmar and southern China; winters to Indochina
• D. l. mouhoti: Southern Myanmar and northern Thailand; winters to Indochina
• D. l. bondi: Southern Thailand and Cambodia
• D. l. nigrescens: Extreme southern Myanmar, southern Thailand and Malaysia

• Plumage is black with slight gloss above and darker below. Resembles Black Drongo in shape andd proportions but is never as black.

• D. l. leucogenis: Manchuria and eastern China; winters to Indochina

• Pale ashy grey with white cheek patch, including area surrounding eyes.

• D. l. salangensis: South-eastern China and southern Thailand; winters to Hainan

• Resembles leugenis but white is confined to area surrounding eye.

• D. l. innexus: Hainan (southern China)
• D. l.s stigmatops: Mountains of northern Borneo Photo
• D. l. batakensis: Northern Sumatra
• D. l. phaedrus: Southern Sumatra
• D. l. periophthalmicus: Simeulue Island and adjacent Mentawi Islands (off Sumatra)
• D. l. siberu: Siberut Island (off Sumatra)
• D. l. leucophaeus: Java, Bali, Lombok, Palawan, Calamian and Balabac islands Photo

A fifteenth subspecies Dicrurus leucophaeus celaenus is not recognised by all authorities.^[2]

[edit] Habitat

Mangroves, beach scrub, plantation, the forest edges, wooded gardens.

[edit] Behaviour

Found on exposed perch from which it hawks for flying insects. Also dives and climbs while pursuing insects in mid-air.

[edit] Vocalisation

Voice: Distinct series of mewing calls.

[edit] References

1. Clements, JF. 2008. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2008. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019. Spreadsheet available at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist.

• List of references

[edit] External Links

• Arthur Grosset's Birds