• Welcome to BirdForum, the internet's largest birding community with thousands of members from all over the world. The forums are dedicated to wild birds, birding, binoculars and equipment and all that goes with it.

    Please register for an account to take part in the discussions in the forum, post your pictures in the gallery and more.
ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Difference between revisions of "Hair-crested Drongo" - BirdForum Opus

(Picture of immature. References updated)
(Image of Nominate subspecies showing spangles and hackles)
Line 1: Line 1:
[[Image:Hair-crested_Drongo.jpg|thumb|550px|right|ssp ''brevirostris''<br />Photo by {{user|anonymous_guy|anonymous_guy}}<br/>Lamma Island, [[Hong Kong]], April 2005]]
+
[[Image:Hair-crested_Drongo.jpg|thumb|450px|right|ssp ''brevirostris''<br />Photo by {{user|anonymous_guy|anonymous_guy}}<br/>Lamma Island, [[Hong Kong]], April 2005]]
 
;[[:Category:Dicrurus|Dicrurus]] hottentottus
 
;[[:Category:Dicrurus|Dicrurus]] hottentottus
 
==Identification==
 
==Identification==
Line 9: Line 9:
 
* Reddish-brown or dark brown eye
 
* Reddish-brown or dark brown eye
 
Sexes similar, females are duller. Juveniles are browner and less glossed.<br />
 
Sexes similar, females are duller. Juveniles are browner and less glossed.<br />
[[Image:Hair-crested Drongo - Guy 07774.jpg|thumb|350px|right|Immature, ssp ''brevirostris''<br />Photo by {{user|anonymous_guy|anonymous_guy}}<br/>Lamma Island, [[Hong Kong]], August 2007]]
+
[[Image:hair-crested _drongo_alok.JPG|thumb|350px|right|Nominate subspecies showing spangles and hackles<br />Photo by {{user|aloktewari|Alok Tewari}}<br/>Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, [[India]], January-2015]]
 
==Distribution==
 
==Distribution==
 
Found on the [[India]]n Subcontinent, in the [[Himalayas]], [[Burma]], big parts of [[China]], [[Indochina]] and on [[Borneo]], [[Sulawesi]] and parts of the [[Philippines]] (see taxonomy).<br />
 
Found on the [[India]]n Subcontinent, in the [[Himalayas]], [[Burma]], big parts of [[China]], [[Indochina]] and on [[Borneo]], [[Sulawesi]] and parts of the [[Philippines]] (see taxonomy).<br />
Line 19: Line 19:
 
====Subspecies====
 
====Subspecies====
 
[[Image:Spangled Drongo3.JPG|thumb|350px|right|ssp ''striatus''<br />Photo by {{user|Mark+Bruce|Mark Bruce}}<br />PICOP, Bislig, Mindanao Island, [[Philippines]], January 2009]]
 
[[Image:Spangled Drongo3.JPG|thumb|350px|right|ssp ''striatus''<br />Photo by {{user|Mark+Bruce|Mark Bruce}}<br />PICOP, Bislig, Mindanao Island, [[Philippines]], January 2009]]
 +
[[Image:Hair-crested Drongo - Guy 07774.jpg|thumb|300px|right|Immature, ssp ''brevirostris''<br />Photo by {{user|anonymous_guy|anonymous_guy}}<br/>Lamma Island, [[Hong Kong]], August 2007]]
 
Eight to sixteen subspecies recognized<sup>[[#References|[1],[2]]]</sup>:
 
Eight to sixteen subspecies recognized<sup>[[#References|[1],[2]]]</sup>:
 
* ''D. h. hottentottus'' from [[India]] to [[Myanmar]], northern [[Thailand]] and southern [[Indochina]]
 
* ''D. h. hottentottus'' from [[India]] to [[Myanmar]], northern [[Thailand]] and southern [[Indochina]]
Line 49: Line 50:
 
* ''D. h. suluensis'' in the Sulu Archipelago (south-west [[Philippines]])
 
* ''D. h. suluensis'' in the Sulu Archipelago (south-west [[Philippines]])
 
::* frontal filaments always present, more deeply forked tail than otherwise similar ''pectoralis''
 
::* frontal filaments always present, more deeply forked tail than otherwise similar ''pectoralis''
 +
Further taxonomic research is needed to clear species boarders.
  
Further taxonomic research is needed to clear species boarders.
 
 
==Gallery==
 
==Gallery==
 
Click on photo for larger image
 
Click on photo for larger image

Revision as of 07:30, 15 May 2018

ssp brevirostris
Photo by anonymous_guy
Lamma Island, Hong Kong, April 2005
Dicrurus hottentottus

Identification

25 - 32cm (9¾-12½ in). A variable species. Features of the nominate subspecies are:

  • Long hair-like feathers springing from forehead, extending over hindcrown and upper back (not in all subspecies)
  • Black plumage, brightly glossed metallic blue-green
  • Numerous breast spangles and broad and very large, long and glossy neck hackles
  • Tail nearly square-ended, inner four pairs of rectrices ending almost at same level as outer pair
  • Reddish-brown or dark brown eye

Sexes similar, females are duller. Juveniles are browner and less glossed.

Nominate subspecies showing spangles and hackles
Photo by Alok Tewari
Dudhwa National Park, Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh, India, January-2015

Distribution

Found on the Indian Subcontinent, in the Himalayas, Burma, big parts of China, Indochina and on Borneo, Sulawesi and parts of the Philippines (see taxonomy).
Locally common. Some island subspecies are under threat due to deforestation.

Taxonomy

Has been considered conspecific with Spangled Drongo, Sumatran Drongo, Wallacean Drongo, Balicassiao, Sulawesi Drongo and Ribbon-tailed Drongo and may form a superspecies with all these forms.

Tablas Drongo was regarded as a subspecies of this species.

Subspecies

ssp striatus
Photo by Mark Bruce
PICOP, Bislig, Mindanao Island, Philippines, January 2009
Immature, ssp brevirostris
Photo by anonymous_guy
Lamma Island, Hong Kong, August 2007

Eight to sixteen subspecies recognized[1],[2]:

  • similar to nominate but smaller bill
  • D. h. viridinitens on Mentawi Islands (off Sumatra)
  • D. h. borneensis in North Borneo, Maratua and Matasiri islands
  • blue in general colour, rather short frontal filaments, small and strong bill
  • D. h. jentincki on Bali and Kangean Islands
  • similar to faberi but with a longer tail and less deep black plumage
  • D. h. leucops on Sulawesi, adjacent islands and northern Moluccas
  • D. h. guillemardi on central Moluccas (Bisa and Obi)
  • well-developed long, broad and very well-glossed neck hackles, brown eye
  • D. h. pectoralis on Sula Islands (Taliabu, Mangola and Sanana)
  • similar to guillemardi but smaller, longer and broader hackles and a red eye
  • D. h. banggaiensis on Banggai Island (not accepted by Clements)
  • similar to guillemardi but smaller, frontal filaments only present in some birds, brown eye
  • D. h. faberi on Panaitan Island and islands in Jakarta Bay (not accepted by Clements)
  • Smaller than nominate, deeper black below and with a creamy white eye

The following subspecies were regarded as a part of the Spangled Drongo complex by some authorities[1] but are now commonly included in this species:

  • D. h. samarensis on Samar, Biliran, Leyte, Calicoan, Panaon and Bohol (east-central Philippines)
  • very short, straight and square-ended tail, no frontal filaments
  • similar to borneensis but with red eye, no frontal filaments and four inner pairs of rectrices becoming gradually longer, tips of outermost with with slight tendency to curl upwards
  • D. h. cuyensis on Semirara and Cuyo (west-central Philippines)
  • similar to palawanensis but with strongly greenish gloss
  • D. h. striatus on Basilan, Mindanao and Nipa (south Philippines)
  • similar to samarensis but tail a little longer and slightly forked
  • D. h. suluensis in the Sulu Archipelago (south-west Philippines)
  • frontal filaments always present, more deeply forked tail than otherwise similar pectoralis

Further taxonomic research is needed to clear species boarders.

Gallery

Click on photo for larger image

Habitat

Found in different types of forest, preferring broadleaf evergreen and moist deciduous forest. Occurs from sea-level up to 1500m, occasionally up to 2000m.

Behaviour

They move singly or in small flocks and are very noisy.

Diet

Feeds on insects and nectar. Also reported to hawk for lizards.

Breeding

Breeding season poorly documented, from April to June in northern India, April to July in southwest Asia. Very noisy and aggressive towards disturbance while breeding. The nest is a deep saucer made of grass, rootlets and tendrils of creepers. It's usually placed in a tree but also reported in bamboo in China. Lays 3 - 4 eggs.

Movements

Most populations are resident but birds in the northern part of the distribution (China) migrate south to Indochina.

References

  1. Clements, J. F., T. S. Schulenberg, M. J. Iliff, D. Roberson, T. A. Fredericks, B. L. Sullivan, and C. L. Wood. 2016. The eBird/Clements checklist of birds of the world: v2016, with updates to August 2016. Downloaded from http://www.birds.cornell.edu/clementschecklist/download/
  2. 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

Back
Top