Dicrurus fuscipennis
The Grande Comore Drongo, Dicrurus fuscipennis, is a striking passerine bird endemic to the volcanic island of Grande Comore. Measuring approximately 25-28 cm in length, it is characterized by its entirely glossy black plumage, which shimmers with a blue or green iridescence in good light, a trait common among drongos. Its most distinctive field mark is its deeply forked tail, which is relatively shorter and less extreme than some other drongo species, and its bright red eye, though often dif...
This species primarily inhabits humid evergreen forests and dense woodland, particularly on the slopes of Mount Karthala, at elevations typically ranging from 200 to 1000 meters above sea level.
The Grande Comore Drongo is primarily insectivorous, feeding on a wide variety of flying and terrestrial insects, which it catches both in the air and by gleaning from vegetation.
The Grande Comore Drongo is a diurnal bird, active from dawn to dusk, often perching conspicuously on exposed branches within its forest habitat. Its foraging strategy predominantly involves aerial hawking, sallying from a perch to catch flying insects, but it also gleans prey from foliage. They ...
The Grande Comore Drongo is strictly endemic to Grande Comore (Ngazidja), the largest island in the Comoros archipelago, located in the Indian Ocean. Its distribution is limited to the humid evergreen forests and dense woodlands, predominantly found on the slopes of Mount Karthala, an active shie...
Vulnerable
- The Grande Comore Drongo is one of only two drongo species found in the Comoros archipelago, the other being the Comoro Drongo (Dicrurus waldenii) on Mayotte and Anjouan. - Its scientific name, 'fuscipennis,' refers to its dusky or dark wings, highlighting its overall dark coloration. - Despite...