Wild Birds

Spangled Drongos

Spangled Drongos (Dicrurus bracteatus)

The Spangled Drongos (Dicrurus bracteatus) is a bird of the family Dicruridae. “Drongo” is Australian slang for “idiot,” possibly referring to the bird’s uninhibited and sometimes comical behavior as it swoops and perches in search of insects.

Two Spangled Drongos Sitting On A Branch
Two Spangled Drongos Sitting On A Branch

Spangled Drongos Distribution / Range

The Spangled Drongo is the only Drongo to be found in Australia.

 

Spangled Drongo Calls / Vocalization

Whilst this bird is often silent, it sometimes make astonishingly loud, complex and entertaining calls.

The Spangled Drongo is an amazing mimic taking most of her vocabulary from the sounds she hears and weaving them into her own virtuoso aria.

 

Spangled Drongo Description

The most remarkable characteristic of its appearance is its tail, which is described by Morcombe as “long, outcurved and forked” and on first examination looks like its feathers are crossed over – like crossing your fingers.

Its basically black plumage is iridescent with blue and purple highlights. When it – seasonally – visits urban areas it is easily tamed by throwing small pieces of raw meat into the air, when it will accurately swoop and catch them mid-air.

Spangled Drongo in a Tree
Spangled Drongo in a Tree
Drongo Photo Gallery

Copyright: Wikipedia. This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from Wikipedia.org … Additional information and photos added by Avianweb.


 

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Gordon Ramel

Gordon is an ecologist with two degrees from Exeter University. He's also a teacher, a poet and the owner of 1,152 books. Oh - and he wrote this website.

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