Ashy drongo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ashy drongo |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Dicrurus
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| Species: |
leucophaeus
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| Breeding ranges of the various races according to Vaurie, note that some subspecies are no longer considered valid | |
The ashy drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) is a type of bird from the drongo family, Dicruridae. You can find it in many parts of eastern and Southeast Asia. There are several groups of these birds. They look a bit different, with varying shades of grey. Some also have white patches around their eyes. Their migration habits can also be different.
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What Does the Ashy Drongo Look Like?
Adult ashy drongos are mostly dark grey. They have a long tail that splits deeply at the end. Different types of ashy drongos, called subspecies, have slightly different shades of grey feathers. Some of these subspecies even have white marks on their heads. Young ashy drongos are a dull brownish-grey color.
One subspecies, called longicaudatus, lives in India. It is very dark, almost like the black drongo. However, the ashy drongo is usually slimmer. It also has a slightly longer tail that doesn't spread out as much. This bird often lives in taller forests. Its belly is dark grey and doesn't shine like the black drongo's. Its eyes are red, and it doesn't have a white spot near its beak.
Other subspecies, like leucogenis and salangensis, have a white patch around their eyes. Several island types further south also have this white eye-patch. The sounds they make are a bit more nasal and twangy than the black drongo's calls.
Where Do Ashy Drongos Live?
The ashy drongo makes its home in the hills of tropical southern Asia. Their range stretches from eastern Afghanistan all the way east to southern China. You can also find them in the Ryukyu Islands in southern Japan (especially Okinawa) and Indonesia.
Many ashy drongos that live in the northern parts of their range are migratory. This means they fly to warmer places for winter. For example, some that breed in the Himalayas fly to peninsular India for the colder months. In winter, these birds especially like to stay in hill forests. There are also many different groups of ashy drongos living on islands in Southeast Asia.
How Do Ashy Drongos Behave?
The ashy drongo has short legs. It likes to sit very straight up on a high branch, where it can be easily seen. These birds eat insects. They catch their food by flying out from their perch to grab insects in the air. Sometimes, they also pick insects off tree trunks.
You might see ashy drongos alone, in pairs, or in small groups. When they migrate, they fly together in small flocks.
They have a common call that sounds like drangh gip or gip-gip-drangh. Ashy drongos are also good at copying the calls of other birds. They can even imitate the whistling sounds of a common iora.
The breeding season for ashy drongos is usually from May to June. The female lays three or four reddish or brown eggs. They build a loose cup-shaped nest in a tree.
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