Wallacean drongo facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Wallacean drongo
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Aves
Order:	Passeriformes
Family:	Dicruridae
Genus:	Dicrurus
Species:	D. densus
Binomial name
Dicrurus densus Bonaparte, 1850
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The Wallacean drongo is a cool bird found in places like Indonesia and East Timor. It's also known as the Greater Wallacean drongo. Its scientific name is Dicrurus densus. This bird belongs to a family called Dicruridae, which are known as drongos. Scientists once thought it was the same species as the hair-crested drongo, but now they know it's a separate kind of bird.

This drongo likes to live in warm, wet places. You can find it in different kinds of forests. It lives in tropical forests that are low to the ground, and also in tropical mangrove forests near the coast. Sometimes, it lives in wet tropical forests found on mountains too.

What is a Wallacean Drongo?

The Wallacean drongo is a type of bird that is part of the drongo family. Drongos are known for their dark feathers, often with a shiny, metallic look. They usually have strong beaks and often have forked tails. These birds are very good at catching insects while flying.

Where Do Wallacean Drongos Live?

This bird is found in a region called Wallacea, which includes parts of Indonesia and the country of East Timor. This area is known for having many unique animals and plants. The drongo lives on several islands within this region.

How Are Wallacean Drongos Doing?

Scientists keep an eye on animal populations to make sure they are safe. The Wallacean drongo is doing quite well! It lives across a very large area, so it's not considered to be in danger. Its population is also believed to be large enough. Because of these reasons, the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) lists this bird as a species of Least Concern. This means it's not currently at risk of disappearing.

Different Kinds of Wallacean Drongos

Even within the same species, there can be slightly different groups called subspecies. These groups might look a little different or live in specific areas. Scientists have found six different subspecies of the Wallacean drongo:

• D. densus densus (Bonaparte, 1850) Wallacean drongo
  • This group lives on islands like Roti, Timor, Wetar, and Sermata.
• D. densus vicinus (Rensch, 1928) Lesser Sunda drongo
  • You can find this one on Lombok and other Lesser Sunda Islands.
• D. densus bimaensis (Wallace, 1864) Bima drongo
  • This subspecies lives on Sumbawa, Komodo, Rinca, Flores, Pantar, Alor, and Gunungapi.
• D. densus sumbae (Rensch, 1931) Sumba drongo
  • This group is found on the island of Sumba.
• D. densus kuehni (E. J. O. Hartert, 1901) Tanimbar drongo
  • This one lives in the Tanimbar Islands.
• D. densus megalornis (G. R. Gray, 1858) Moluccan drongo
  • This subspecies is found in the southwest Moluccas, including the Gorong, Watubela Is., and Kai Is..