Photo: Tisha Mukherjee / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black Drongo
Dicrurus macrocercus
Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 6 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is a member of the Dicruridae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 48.3 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 macrocercus
Where it lives
Southeastern Iran and northeastern Afghanistan to northeastern China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; disjunctly Java and Bali
Quick facts
- Weight
- 48.3 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Dicruridae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black Drongo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black Drongo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is a member of the Dicruridae family, within the order Passeriformes. Its range spans South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR se Iran and ne Afghanistan to ne China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; disjunctly Java and Bali.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 48.3 g, with a wing length of about 14.1 cm and a tail of around 14.6 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 9.4 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black Drongo?
The Black Drongo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 48.3 g.
Where does the Black Drongo live?
The Black Drongo is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR se Iran and ne Afghanistan to ne China, Taiwan, and Vietnam; disjunctly Java and Bali, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Black Drongo belong to?
The Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) belongs to the Dicruridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black Drongo eat?
The Black Drongo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black Drongo migrate?
The Black Drongo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black 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 Black Drongo make?
1 real field recording of the Black 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 Black Drongo's range?
The Black Drongo has a mapped global range of about 9.4 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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