Photo: Francesco Veronesi from Italy / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Velvet-mantled Drongo
Dicrurus modestus
Velvet-mantled Drongo (Dicrurus modestus) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Velvet-mantled Drongo (Dicrurus modestus) is a member of the Dicruridae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 45.6 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 modestus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 45.6 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 Velvet-mantled Drongo 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 Velvet-mantled Drongo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Velvet-mantled Drongo (Dicrurus modestus) is a member of the Dicruridae family, within the order Passeriformes. It is found across Africa. Its distribution covers AF Sierra Leone to c DR Congo, w Kenya and nw Angola.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 45.6 g, with a wing length of about 13.4 cm and a tail of around 12.1 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 3.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Velvet-mantled Drongo?
The Velvet-mantled Drongo is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 45.6 g.
Where does the Velvet-mantled Drongo live?
The Velvet-mantled Drongo is found across Africa with a range covering AF Sierra Leone to c DR Congo, w Kenya and nw Angola, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Velvet-mantled Drongo belong to?
The Velvet-mantled Drongo (Dicrurus modestus) belongs to the Dicruridae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Velvet-mantled Drongo eat?
The Velvet-mantled Drongo is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Velvet-mantled Drongo migrate?
The Velvet-mantled Drongo is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Velvet-mantled 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 Velvet-mantled Drongo make?
1 real field recording of the Velvet-mantled Drongo — including its call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Velvet-mantled Drongo's range?
The Velvet-mantled Drongo has a mapped global range of about 3.5 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 Dicruridae
Least Concern
Not Evaluated
Near Threatened
Least Concern
Endangered
Least Concern
More in Songbirds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Guides for this bird
Best Bird Feeders for Garden Songbirds
How to choose a bird feeder for garden songbirds — the feeder styles compared, the seed they prefer, where to hang it, and how to keep birds safe. A decision framework grounded in real data, with no mystery picks.