Crested Drongo (Dicrurus forficatus)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Crested Drongo

Dicrurus forficatus (Linnaeus, 1766)

47 gWeight

The crested drongo (Dicrurus forficatus) is a passerine bird in the family Dicruridae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: Madagascar, Comoros

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Crested Drongo has been recorded at 24 of the 8,171 birding hotspots we track, in 2 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Ifaty – spiny forest reservesMadagascar1,007 records
  2. Andasibe Mantadia National ParkMadagascar625 records
  3. Ranomafana NPMadagascar614 records
More places
  1. Andasibe-Mantadia NPMadagascar561 records
  2. Berenty ReserveMadagascar465 records
  3. Zombitse-Vohibasia NPMadagascar439 records
  4. PerinetMadagascar389 records
  5. Ankarafantsika NPMadagascar361 records
  6. Ankarafantsika – Circuit CoquereliMadagascar329 records
  7. V.O.I. M.M.AMadagascar304 records

Countries and regions with the most records

MadagascarComoros

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The crested drongo (Dicrurus forficatus) is a passerine bird in the family Dicruridae. It is black with a bluish-green sheen, a distinctive crest on the forehead and a forked tail. There are two subspecies; D. f. forficatus is endemic to Madagascar and D. f. potior, which is larger, is found on the Comoro Islands.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Crested Drongo?

The Crested Drongo weighs around 47 g.

Where does the Crested Drongo live?

Its breeding range: Africa: Anjouan (east-central Comoros) and Madagascar. It is most often recorded in Madagascar and Comoros.

When is the best time to see the Crested Drongo?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Crested Drongo endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Crested Drongo as Least Concern.

What does the Crested Drongo eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Crested Drongo in?

It belongs to the family Drongos (Dicruridae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Weight
47 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
126 mm
Tail
132 mm
Bill
26 mm
Tarsus
22 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: Anjouan (east-central Comoros) and Madagascar

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Drongos Dicruridae
Genus
Dicrurus

Other birds in the genus Dicrurus

Bronzed DrongoBronzed DrongoDicrurus aeneusLesser Racket-tailed DrongoLesser Racket-tailed DrongoDicrurus remiferCrow-billed DrongoCrow-billed DrongoDicrurus annectensGreater Racket-tailed DrongoGreater Racket-tailed DrongoDicrurus paradiseusSri Lanka DrongoSri Lanka DrongoDicrurus lophorinusAndaman DrongoAndaman DrongoDicrurus andamanensisSumatran DrongoSumatran DrongoDicrurus sumatranusSulawesi DrongoSulawesi DrongoDicrurus montanusSpangled DrongoSpangled DrongoDicrurus bracteatusParadise DrongoParadise DrongoDicrurus megarhynchusHair-crested DrongoHair-crested DrongoDicrurus hottentottusTablas DrongoTablas DrongoDicrurus menagei
Crested Drongo

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Frank Vassen. ↗

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