Photo: Derek Keats from Johannesburg, South Africa / CC BY 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) is a member of the Dicruridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 40.3 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Passeriformes
- Family Dicruridae Drongos
- Genus Dicrurus
- Species adsimilis
Quick facts
- Weight
- 40.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Dicruridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Fork-tailed Drongo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Fork-tailed Drongo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) is a member of the Dicruridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF widespread in African savannas.
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 40.3 g, with a wing length of about 13.1 cm and a tail of around 11.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 14.6 million km² — a very large global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Fork-tailed Drongo?
The Fork-tailed Drongo is a small bird that weighs around 40.3 g.
Where does the Fork-tailed Drongo live?
The Fork-tailed Drongo is found across Africa with a range covering AF widespread in African savannas, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Fork-tailed Drongo belong to?
The Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) belongs to the Dicruridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Fork-tailed Drongo eat?
The Fork-tailed Drongo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Fork-tailed Drongo migrate?
The Fork-tailed Drongo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Fork-tailed Drongo endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Fork-tailed Drongo make?
1 real field recording of the Fork-tailed Drongo — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Fork-tailed Drongo's range?
The Fork-tailed Drongo has a mapped global range of about 14.6 million km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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