Square-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus ludwigii)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Square-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus ludwigii (Smith, A, 1834)

29 gWeight

The square-tailed drongo (Dicrurus ludwigii), formerly the common square-tailed drongo, is a passerine bird in the family Dicruridae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe

Square-tailed Drongo has been recorded at 141 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 21 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. St Lucia – iGwalagwala TrailSouth Africa688 records
  2. Eshowe – Dlinza ForestSouth Africa487 records
  3. Kakamega Forest NRKenya367 records
More places
  1. Kakamega Forest NR – Rondo Retreat CentreKenya293 records
  2. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa287 records
  3. Kakamega Forest NR – Zimmerman Plot/Isecheno Forest StationKenya236 records
  4. Kakamega Forest NR – Ikuywa RiverKenya220 records
  5. Aberfoyle LodgeZimbabwe216 records
  6. East Usambara Mountains – Amani Nature ReserveTanzania197 records
  7. iSimangaliso WP – Eastern ShoresSouth Africa177 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaZimbabweTanzaniaMozambiqueMalawiGhanaZambia

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 square-tailed drongo (Dicrurus ludwigii), formerly the common square-tailed drongo, is a passerine bird in the family Dicruridae. It is a common resident breeder in parts of southern Africa.

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

Questions

How big is the Square-tailed Drongo?

The Square-tailed Drongo weighs around 29 g.

Where does the Square-tailed Drongo live?

Its breeding range: Africa: eastern, southern Africa. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe.

When is the best time to see the Square-tailed Drongo?

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

Is the Square-tailed Drongo endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Square-tailed Drongo as Least Concern.

What does the Square-tailed Drongo eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Square-tailed Drongo in?

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

At a glance

Weight
29 g
Habitat
Forest
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
102 mm
Tail
89 mm
Bill
20 mm
Tarsus
17 mm

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

Range

Africa: eastern, southern Africa

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
Square-tailed Drongo

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

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