Animalia Life

Dicrurus megarhynchus
TAXONOMY
Edolius megarhynchus Quoy and Gaimard, 1830, “Dorйrei” = Port Praslin, New Ireland. Monotypic member of spangled drongo (D. bracteatus) superspecies.
OTHER COMMON NAMES
French: Drongo de Nouvelle-Irlande; German: Bandschwanzdrongo; Spanish: Drogo de Nueva Irlanda.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
22–25 in (55–63 cm). Largest of drongos, with strong bill and enormously elongate, streaming, in-curling outer tail feathers that are slightly spathulate at the tips. Iris rich red and plumage all black, with blue gloss on upper surface and wings, paler blue-glossed spangles on breast, and white tipping on concealed under-wing coverts; females are smaller and immatures are duller, near glossless.
DISTRIBUTION
Endemic to New Ireland in Bismarck Archipelago, at all altitudes from sea-level to 5,900 ft (1,800 m) above sea level.
HABITAT
Mainly interior of mid and upper strata of primary and tall secondary rainforest.
BEHAVIOR
More retiring than other drongos, but territorial resident yearround and similarly solitary or in pairs, sitting upright on open perches within cover, tail dangling. It flares the tail when calling; calls include a loud, liquid medley of whistles (probably song) unlike the metallic twanging chatter of other drongos.
FEEDING ECOLOGY AND DIET
Aerial insectivore, sallying actively like other drongos, tail trailing, taking a range of large arthropods in flight or picked from the surface of leaves and branches.
REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY
Not known.
CONSERVATION STATUS
Not threatened.
SIGNIFICANCE TO HUMANS
None known.

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