Hair-crested Drongo
Dicrurus hottentottus
发冠卷尾
Introduction
Species of bird in family Dicruridae. Native range extends from Bangladesh, India, and Bhutan through Indochina to China, Indonesia, and Brunei. Formerly considered conspecific with Dicrurus bracteatus (spangled drongo). Some authorities include Sumatran drongo (D. sumatranus) as a subspecies. Twelve subspecies are currently recognised. Moves in small flocks and is very noisy.
Distribution & Habitat
Range extends from Bangladesh, India, and Bhutan through Indochina to China, Indonesia, and Brunei. Type locality is Chandannagar in West Bengal. Subspecies occur across various islands and regions including Borneo, Obi Islands, Sula Island, Sulu Archipelago, Mentawai Islands, Banggai Islands, Sulawesi, Panaitan Island, Bali, eastern Java, and Seribu Islands in Jakarta Bay.
Behavior & Ecology
Moves in small flocks. Very noisy bird known for chattering and cackling vocalizations.
Culture
The related 'spangled drongo' (Dicrurus bracteatus) name has become pejorative slang in Australia for a silly person, likely due to its strange chattering and cackling calls.
Source: Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0
Taxonomy
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Dicruridae
- Genus
- Dicrurus
- eBird Code
- hacdro1
Vocalizations
Subspecies (12)
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Dicrurus hottentottus banggaiensis
Banggai Islands, off eastern Sulawesi
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Dicrurus hottentottus borneensis
northern Borneo, Maratua, and Matasiri islands
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Dicrurus hottentottus brevirostris
breeds central and southern China southward to northern Myanmar, northern Laos, and northern Vietnam; most of the population migrates southward, wintering in Indochina, Thailand, and Myanmar
-
Dicrurus hottentottus faberi
Panaitan Island and islands in Jakarta Bay, western Java
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Dicrurus hottentottus guillemardi
central Moluccas (Bisa and Obi)
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Dicrurus hottentottus hottentottus
India to Myanmar, northern Thailand, and southern Indochina
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Dicrurus hottentottus jentincki
central and eastern Java, Masalembu and Kangean islands (Java Sea), and Bali
-
Dicrurus hottentottus leucops
Sulawesi, Matasiri Island (Java Sea), Sangihe, and Siau
-
Dicrurus hottentottus pectoralis
Sula Islands (Taliabu, Mangole, and Sanana)
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Dicrurus hottentottus suluensis
Sulu Archipelago
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Dicrurus hottentottus termeuleni
Seribu Islands and islands in Jakarta Bay (northern Java)
-
Dicrurus hottentottus viridinitens
Mentawai Islands (off Sumatra)
Data Sources
Species description from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Bird images and sounds sourced from GBIF, contributed by citizen scientists worldwide under Creative Commons licenses.
Taxonomy data from AviList 2025.