Photo: TonyCastro / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo
Surniculus lugubris
Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) — Cuckoos & Turacos of South & Southeast Asia.
Found across 11 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is a member of the Cuculidae family found in South & Southeast Asia. Adults weigh 29.7 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 Cuculiformes
- Family Cuculidae Cuckoos
- Genus Surniculus
- Species lugubris
Where it lives
Northwestern Himalayas to southeastern China, south to Malay Pen., Greater Sundas and Palawan group (southern Philippines)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 29.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Cuculidae
- Order
- Cuculiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open forest, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) belongs to the Cuculidae family of the order Cuculiformes. It is found across South & Southeast Asia. Its distribution covers OR nw Himalayas to se China, s to Malay Pen., Greater Sundas and Palawan group (s Philippines).
It is a small bird. Adults weighs around 29.7 g, with a wing length of about 11.9 cm and a tail of around 11.3 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 1.8 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo?
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is a small bird that weighs around 29.7 g.
Where does the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo live?
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is found across South & Southeast Asia with a range covering OR nw Himalayas to se China, s to Malay Pen., Greater Sundas and Palawan group (s Philippines), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo belong to?
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) belongs to the Cuculidae family, in the order Cuculiformes.
What does the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo eat?
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo migrate?
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo 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 Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo make?
1 real field recording of the Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo — 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 Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo's range?
The Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo has a mapped global range of about 1.8 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.
Explore more birds
More in Cuculidae
Vulnerable
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
More in Cuckoos & Turacos
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Vulnerable
Least Concern