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Grande Comore Drongo - BirdForum Opus

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Alternative name: Grand Comoro Drongo, Comoro Drongo

Dicrurus fuscipennis

Identification

26.5 - 29cm. The only drongo on Grand Comoro:

  • Entirely deep lustrous black plumage with uniformly dark dull blue gloss
  • Relatively long, shallowly forked tail
  • Dark brown eye
  • Black bill, slightly curved at end

Sexes alike, females are slightly smaller. Juveniles are blackish-brown to greyish.

Distribution

Endemic to Grand Comoro (Njazidja) in the Comoros Islands.
A rare and uncommon restricted-range species. Classified as endangered.

Taxonomy

Subspecies

This is a monotypic species[1].

Habitat

Pastures, plantations and moist lowland forests, edges and clearings. Requires tall trees and open airspace for aerial feeding. Occurs mainly at 500 - 1000m, locally lower.

Behaviour

Diet

Feeds on large insects. Perches prominently on high trees and sallies out to seize prey on wing.

Breeding

Breeding season from September to at least December. A territorial species, highly aggressive towards raptors and other nest predators like Frances's Sparrowhawk. The nest is a neat cup placed 7 - 9m above the ground in a tree. Lays 1 - 2 eggs, possibly more.
A resident species.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., P. C. Rasmussen, T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, T. A. Fredericks, J. A. Gerbracht, D. Lepage, A. Spencer, S. M. Billerman, B. L. Sullivan, M. Smith, and C. L. Wood. 2024. The eBird/Clements checklist of Birds of the World: v2024. Downloaded from https://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. Gill, F, D Donsker, and P Rasmussen (Eds). 2024. IOC World Bird List (v 14.2). Doi 10.14344/IOC.ML.14.2. http://www.worldbirdnames.org/
  3. 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

Recommended Citation

External Links

GSearch checked for 2020 platform.1

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