Alternative names: New Ireland Drongo; Paradise Drongo
- Dicrurus megarhynchus
Identification
51 - 56cm (including tail). The only drongo in its range:
- Black to bluish-black plumage with strong blue-steel gloss on tail, wings and crown
- Glossy blue streaks on neck
- Glossy blue spots on breast
- Outermost tail feathers enormously elongated (extending 14 - 17cm beyond rest of tail), last third of shaft twisting spirally inwards
- Orange-red or dark red eye
- Strong bill
Sexes alike, females are slightly smaller and has shorter tail-streamers. Juvenile undescribed.
Distribution
Endemic to the island of New Britain in the Bismarck Archipelago, Papua New Guinea.
A fairly common restricted-range species.
Taxonomy
A monotypic species, most closely related to Spangled Drongo.
Habitat
Primary forest in lowlands and hills and tall secondary growth. Occurs from sea-level up to 1800m.
Behaviour
Feeds on small invertebrates.
Stands upright on a perch from where it sallies for winged insects.
A fairly shy and quiet species, difficult to observe.
No information about breeding.
A resident species.
References
- Clements, JF. 2009. The Clements Checklist of Birds of the World. 6th ed., with updates to December 2009. Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press. ISBN 978-0801445019.
- 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
- BirdForum Opus contributors. (2024) Ribbon-tailed Drongo. In: BirdForum, the forum for wild birds and birding. Retrieved 26 April 2024 from https://www.birdforum.net/opus/Ribbon-tailed_Drongo
