White-bellied Drongo
Encyclopedia
The White-bellied Drongo (Dicrurus caerulescens) is a species of drongo
s found only in South Asia, mainly in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Like other members of the family Dicruridae they are insectivorous and is mainly black in colour but with a white belly and vent. Young birds are however all black and can be confused with the Black Drongo
although smaller and more compact in appearance and the subspecies found in Sri Lanka has white restricted to the vent.
which is often seen in the same habitats. Young Black Drongo's can have a lot of white on the underside but it is usually scaly in appearance. The Sri Lankan forms insularis of the northern dry zone and leucopygialis of the southern wet zone have the white restricted to the vent. Birds that are less than a year old lack the white on the underside but are browner above and greyish below.
_at_sindhrot_near_vadodara,_gujrat_pix_073.jpg)
The size of the birds varies clinally with northern birds larger. The extent of white on the underside also declines with size although there is a lot of local variation. The Sri Lankan forms leucopygialis and insularis are darker than the Indian form and there is some intergradation within the Sri Lankan forms.
The species is believed to be closely related to Dicrurus leucophaeus but has not be confirmed with molecular sequence studies.
and Sri Lanka
. This species is usually found in dry scrub or open forests. The distribution is restricted to peninsular India south of the Himalayas and to the west of the Gangetic delta bounded on the west by the Aravallis.
The breeding season is from February to July. The cup nest is similar to that of the Black Drongo
but is usually made up of more twigs and is well lined with grass. Two to four eggs
, pale salmon coloured with reddish blotches on the broad end, are laid in the nest which may be 20 to 30 feet high in the fork of a tree. These are aggressive at the nest and will potential threats much larger than themselves. When mobbing they have been observed to imitate the alarm calls of squirrels or the mewing of a cat and is known to join to mixed-species foraging flocks.
Although primarily insectivorous they are opportunistic and are known to prey on small birds. Like other drongos, they use their feet while handling their prey. They have been known to take insects attracted to artificial lights late at dusk. They also visit large flowers for nectar, particularly Salmalia and Erythrina
.
Drongo
The drongos are a family of small passerine birds of the Old World tropics, the Dicruridae. This family was sometimes much enlarged to include a number of largely Australasian groups, such as the Australasian fantails, monarchs and paradise flycatchers...
s found only in South Asia, mainly in India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Like other members of the family Dicruridae they are insectivorous and is mainly black in colour but with a white belly and vent. Young birds are however all black and can be confused with the Black Drongo
Black Drongo
The Black Drongo , also known as the King Crow, is a small Asian passerine bird of the drongo family Dicruridae. Previously considered a subspecies of the African Fork-tailed Drongo , it is now recognized as a full species...
although smaller and more compact in appearance and the subspecies found in Sri Lanka has white restricted to the vent.
Description
This drongo is black without any glossy on the upperside and greyish on the throat and breast while the belly and vent are entirely white in the Indian form which is the nominate subspecies. The fork of the tail is less deep than in the Black DrongoBlack Drongo
The Black Drongo , also known as the King Crow, is a small Asian passerine bird of the drongo family Dicruridae. Previously considered a subspecies of the African Fork-tailed Drongo , it is now recognized as a full species...
which is often seen in the same habitats. Young Black Drongo's can have a lot of white on the underside but it is usually scaly in appearance. The Sri Lankan forms insularis of the northern dry zone and leucopygialis of the southern wet zone have the white restricted to the vent. Birds that are less than a year old lack the white on the underside but are browner above and greyish below.
The species is believed to be closely related to Dicrurus leucophaeus but has not be confirmed with molecular sequence studies.
Distribution and habitat
The White-bellied Drongo is a resident breeder in IndiaIndia
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. This species is usually found in dry scrub or open forests. The distribution is restricted to peninsular India south of the Himalayas and to the west of the Gangetic delta bounded on the west by the Aravallis.
Behaviour and ecology
Birds are often seen singly or in groups of up to three individuals, sometimes joining mixed-species foraging flocks. They perch upright close to the tops of trees and capture insects in the air with short aerobatic sallies. Larger insects may be captured using their claws. The song of this drongo is a series of staccato notes interspersed with clear notes and may include mimicry of other bird calls.The breeding season is from February to July. The cup nest is similar to that of the Black Drongo
Black Drongo
The Black Drongo , also known as the King Crow, is a small Asian passerine bird of the drongo family Dicruridae. Previously considered a subspecies of the African Fork-tailed Drongo , it is now recognized as a full species...
but is usually made up of more twigs and is well lined with grass. Two to four eggs
Egg (biology)
An egg is an organic vessel in which an embryo first begins to develop. In most birds, reptiles, insects, molluscs, fish, and monotremes, an egg is the zygote, resulting from fertilization of the ovum, which is expelled from the body and permitted to develop outside the body until the developing...
, pale salmon coloured with reddish blotches on the broad end, are laid in the nest which may be 20 to 30 feet high in the fork of a tree. These are aggressive at the nest and will potential threats much larger than themselves. When mobbing they have been observed to imitate the alarm calls of squirrels or the mewing of a cat and is known to join to mixed-species foraging flocks.
Although primarily insectivorous they are opportunistic and are known to prey on small birds. Like other drongos, they use their feet while handling their prey. They have been known to take insects attracted to artificial lights late at dusk. They also visit large flowers for nectar, particularly Salmalia and Erythrina
Erythrina
Erythrina is a genus of flowering plants in the pea family, Fabaceae. It contains about 130 species, which are distributed in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. They are trees, growing up to in height...
.