Drongos (Dicruridae)
Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) - HBW 14, p. 222
French: Drongo royal
German: Königsdrongo
Spanish: Drongo Real
Other common names: (Common) King Crow, Black King Crow; South Indian Black Drongo (macrocercus); North Indian Black/Himalayan Black Drongo (albirictus); Ceylon Black Drongo (minor); Chinese Black Drongo (cathoecus)
Taxonomy: Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817, Madras City [Chennai], Tamil Nadu, India.
Forms a superspecies with D. adsimilis and often treated as conspecific, but differs slightly in plumage and significantly in proportions and voice; close relationship between the two supported by recent DNA studies. Previously, D. fuscipennis, D. modestus, D. waldenii, D. forficatus and D. aldabranus thought to be part of same superspecies, but morphological and genetic differentiation considered too great to validate such a relationship. Race albirictus intergrades with nominate in SE Pakistan and across C India (in narrow band roughly from K.. View all taxonomy...
Taxonomy: Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817, Madras City [Chennai], Tamil Nadu, India.
Forms a superspecies with D. adsimilis and often treated as conspecific, but differs slightly in plumage and significantly in proportions and voice; close relationship between the two supported by recent DNA studies. Previously, D. fuscipennis, D. modestus, D. waldenii, D. forficatus and D. aldabranus thought to be part of same superspecies, but morphological and genetic differentiation considered too great to validate such a relationship. Race albirictus intergrades with nominate in SE Pakistan and across C India (in narrow band roughly from Kutch, in W Gujarat, E to S West Bengal) and with cathoecus in NW Myanmar; cathoecus and thai may intergrade in N Thailand. Seven subspecies recognized.
Forms a superspecies with D. adsimilis and often treated as conspecific, but differs slightly in plumage and significantly in proportions and voice; close relationship between the two supported by recent DNA studies. Previously, D. fuscipennis, D. modestus, D. waldenii, D. forficatus and D. aldabranus thought to be part of same superspecies, but morphological and genetic differentiation considered too great to validate such a relationship. Race albirictus intergrades with nominate in SE Pakistan and across C India (in narrow band roughly from Kutch, in W Gujarat, E to S West Bengal) and with cathoecus in NW Myanmar; cathoecus and thai may intergrade in N Thailand. Seven subspecies recognized.
Subspecies and Distribution:
- albirictus ( Hodgson, 1836) - Himalayas from E Afghanistan and N & E Pakistan E to W & extreme N Myanmar and S China (SE Xizang), S to SE Pakistan (E from Indus Valley) and across C India (S to Gujarat, N Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal; non-breeding also S to S India, C & S Myanmar and N Thailand.
- macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 - SE Pakistan and peninsular India S from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
- minor Blyth, 1850 - N & NW Sri Lanka (S, in W, to Puttalam), including Mannar I.
- albirictus ( Hodgson, 1836) - Himalayas from E Afghanistan and N & E Pakistan E to W & extreme N Myanmar and S China (SE Xizang), S to SE Pakistan (E from Indus Valley) and across C India (S to Gujarat, N Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal; non-breeding also S to S India, C & S Myanmar and N Thailand.
- macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 - SE Pakistan and peninsular India S from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and West Bengal.
- minor Blyth, 1850 - N & NW Sri Lanka (S, in W, to Puttalam), including Mannar I.
- cathoecus Swinhoe, 1871 - breeds C, E & S China (E from Qinghai, S from Jilin; including Hainan I), Myanmar (except W & N), N Thailand and N Indochina; non-breeding S to SW & S Myanmar, S Malay Peninsula (Singapore) and S Indochina.
- thai Kloss, 1921 - S Myanmar (Tenasserim), C & E Thailand, probably E Cambodia, and S Indochina.
- harterti Stuart Baker, 1918 - Taiwan.
- javanus Kloss, 1921 - Java and Bali.
- Least Concern Enlarge map
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A bird lifting on the back of a goat, waiting for flushed insects. Locality Chambal River, Uttar Pradesh, India (ssp albirictus)
Pieter de Groot Boersma 1 February 2008 4 years ago 25 sec 4.8 -
Two birds on the back of goats, waiting for flushed prey. Locality Chambal River, Uttar Pradesh, India (ssp albirictus)
Pieter de Groot Boersma 1 February 2008 4 years ago 21 sec 4.5 -
A bird feeding on a dragonfly and flying away Locality Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India (ssp albirictus)
Jean Hupperetz 31 October 2004 7 years ago 25 sec 4.5 -
An individual perched on a reed, looking around. Locality Nawa Talao Lake, Surendranagar District, Gujarat, India (ssp albirictus)
Josep del Hoyo 18 February 2011 1 year ago 21 sec 4.4 -
A bird eating a gecko Locality Rota, Northern Mariana Islands
Curt Kessler 31 January 2006 6 years ago 30 sec 4.4 -
A bird perched on a wire, looking around. Locality Guosing, Nantou County, Taiwan (ssp harterti)
Josep del Hoyo 19 April 2011 1 year ago 18 sec 4.2
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very good close up...
Locality Ahmedabad, Ahmedabad District, Gujarat, India (ssp macrocercus)
drshaileshdarjimd 5 August 2012 40 weeks ago 4.3 -
A bird perched on a cow.
Locality Tamil Nadu, India (ssp macrocercus)
Hanne and Jens Eriksen 40 weeks ago 4 -
A juvenile bird. Note the whitish belly. White rictal spot present
Locality Tal Chhapar Wildlife Sanctuary, Churu District, Rajasthan, India
Koshy Koshy 12 October 2011 1 year ago 4 -
An adult perching in Agriculture field at Bhal Area.
Locality Bhavnagar District, Gujarat, India
viragvyas5 12 November 2011 1 year ago 3.9 -
An Immature Black Dromgp perched on a twig beside a lake, hunting the surrounding insects.
Locality Mysore, Mysore District, Karnataka, India
Ragoorao 22 November 2011 1 year ago 3.8 -
This bird was perched on a fence post and keeping a watch on the cattle grazing nearby to get the insects they disturb from the
Locality Mysore, Mysore District, Karnataka, India
Ragoorao 11 December 2009 2 years ago 3.8
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Sharp calls much before dawn Locality Kota, Kota District, Rajasthan, India
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 March 1986 3 years ago 4.7 -
Sharp response calls very early morning Locality Kota, Kota District, Rajasthan, India
(ssp albirictus)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 March 1988 3 years ago 4 -
Four types of sharp calls Locality Keoladeo National Park, Bharatpur, Rajasthan, India
(ssp albirictus)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 March 1983 3 years ago 4 -
Loud sharp Sweet whistly calls in early morning Locality Rajasthan, India
(ssp albirictus)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 March 1998 3 years ago 4 -
4 different varieties of its calls Locality Jaipur District, Rajasthan, India
(ssp albirictus)
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 July 2004 3 years ago 4 -
Typical sharp calls Locality Jaipur District, Rajasthan, India
RAM GOPAL SONI 1 July 2004 3 years ago 4
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