From Opus

Photo by Chaiyan
Central Thailand, December 2002

Dicrurus macrocercus

[edit] Identification

Deeply forked long tail with slightly upturned tips distinctive. Plumage black with slight gloss.

[edit] Distribution

The Indian subcontinent and China through South-East Asia discontinuously to Java and Bali.

Juvenile
Photo by Neil
Hong Kong, China, September 2006

[edit] Taxonomy

[edit] Subspecies^[1]

There are 7 subspecies.

• D. m. albirictus from south-eastern Iran to Afghanistan and northern India
• D. m. macrocercus in Peninsular India
• D. m. minor in Sri Lanka
• D. m. cathoecus in China, northern Myanmar, northern Thailand, Laos, northern Vietnam and Malaysia
• D. m. thai in southern Myanmar, southern Thailand and ssouthern Vietnam
• D. m. harterti in Taiwan
• D. m. javanus in Java and Bali

[edit] Habitat

Open country and ricefields.

[edit] Behaviour

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

[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