Lesser racket-tailed drongo explained

The lesser racket-tailed drongo (Dicrurus remifer) is a species of bird in the family Dicruridae.^{[1] [2]} It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia.

It is found in the Indian Subcontinent and Southeast Asia, ranging across Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, and Vietnam. Its natural habitat is near the edge or inside of subtropical or tropical moist montane forests.^[1]

Description

The drongo is about 25–27·5 cm long, excluding outermost tail feathers (c. 30–40 cm to end of tail); average weight of males is between 39–49 grams while females are between 35·5–44 grams. Its feathers are black with a bluish metallic gloss. The end of its tail has long shafts more than 50cm (20inches).^[1]

It can be confused with the greater racket-tailed drongo, but the latter doesn't have a crest on head and its tail is square cut.^[1]

Taxonomy

There are 4 recognised subspecies of lesser racket-tailed drongo:^[3]

• D. r. tectirostris (Hodgson, 1836) – lower Himalayas from N India (Uttarakhand) E to Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, NE Bangladesh, S China (SE Xizang, W & S Yunnan and SW Guangxi), Myanmar (except extreme S), N Thailand, N Laos and N Vietnam (S to Huê).
• D. r. peracensis (E. C. S. Baker, 1918) – S Myanmar (Tenasserim) and SW & S Thailand S to N Peninsular Malaysia (S Selangor and S Pahang), S Laos and S Vietnam (S to S Annam).
• D. r. lefoli (Delacour & Jabouille, 1928) – mountains of S Cambodia (Cardamom and Elephant Ranges).
• D. r. remifer (Temminck, 1823) – Sumatra (Barisan Range and Batak Highlands) and W Java.

Notes and References

1. Book: Jeyarajasingam, Allen . 2012 . A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore . 2nd . New York, United States . Oxford University Press, Incorporated . 280, 282 . 978-0-19-963942-7.
2. Web site: Gill . Frank . Frank Gill (ornithologist) . Donsker . David . Rasmussen . Pamela . Pamela Rasmussen . January 2023 . Orioles, drongos, fantails . IOC World Bird List Version 13.1 . International Ornithologists' Union . 11 March 2023 .
3. Web site: Lesser Racquet-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus remifer) . www.hbw.com . Handbook of The Bird of the World . 19 March 2019.