Dicrurus modestus
The Velvet-mantled Drongo, *Dicrurus modestus*, is a striking passerine known for its sleek, entirely glossy black plumage that often exhibits a subtle, velvety blue-green sheen, particularly visible in good light. Measuring approximately 25-28 cm in length (excluding tail streamers) with a weight typically ranging from 40-55 grams, it possesses a stout black bill, robust legs, and piercing bright red eyes—a key identification feature distinguishing it from many other drongo species. Its tail...
Primarily inhabiting primary and secondary rainforests, dense woodlands, and forest edges, the Velvet-mantled Drongo is typically found in lowland areas, ranging up to approximately 1,500 meters in elevation.
The diet of the Velvet-mantled Drongo consists almost exclusively of insects, predominantly large flying insects such as moths, butterflies, beetles, and termites, which it catches during agile aerial sallies.
Velvet-mantled Drongos are diurnal and highly active, often perching conspicuously on exposed branches at mid-canopy to treetop levels. They are primarily aerial insectivores, employing a "sally-and-return" foraging strategy, darting out from a perch to catch insects in flight. Highly territorial...
The Velvet-mantled Drongo (*Dicrurus modestus* sensu stricto) is a resident species found across a broad swath of West and Central Africa. Its distribution spans from Sierra Leone and Guinea eastward through Liberia, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria, extending into Cameroon, Equator...
Least Concern
- The Velvet-mantled Drongo is known for its remarkable ability to mimic the calls of other forest birds, sometimes even incorporating alarm calls to scare off competitors from food sources. - Unlike many of its congeners, its common name directly references the velvety texture and slight sheen o...