BIRDGACHA / FIELD NOTES

Drongos

Drongos are mainly dark songbirds with strong, slightly hooked bills and conspicuous tails, often forked or extended into decorative feathers. Glossy black, blue-black or grey plumage predominates, while crests, tail shape and the extent of pale areas differ between species. Examples include Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus), Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus remifer), and Crow-billed Drongo (Dicrurus annectens). They catch insects from perches or in flight and can accompany other animals or mixed bird flocks while feeding. The stout, hooked bill and head profile complement the forked or racket-shaped tail when a drongo rests between feeding flights.

How to recognize Drongos

Compare the forked tail or any elongated, racket-tipped feathers.
Check bill depth, a hooked tip and the shape of any crest.
Observe glossy versus grey plumage and the bird's hunting perch.

Where they live

The family occurs in Africa, southern Asia, Australasia and neighbouring islands. Forest, wooded savanna, plantations and open country with suitable perches support different members. Some favour shaded forest canopies, while others hunt from exposed branches or wires, making feeding position and surrounding tree cover useful identification evidence. A dark bird pursuing insects from a perch still needs a tail and bill check to distinguish it from flycatchers or woodswallows.

Species accounts: Bronzed Drongo · Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo · Crow-billed Drongo

Sources — natural history: Wikipedia: Drongos · Cornell Birds of the World: Bronzed Drongo (Dicrurus aeneus), species natural history.

Classification: IOC World Bird List: family names and classification.

Some Cornell Birds of the World account sections require a subscription.

Updated 2026-11-06. Species counts follow this site's catalogue. This is an editorial summary, not an expert peer review.