Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer Scientific name definitions

25–27·5 cm, excluding outermost tail feathers (c. 30–40 cm to end of tail); five males 39–49 g, 5 females 35·5–44 g (pera­censis); four males 48–51 g (tectirostris). Distinctive black drongo, characteristic square tail having greatly elongated bare-shafted outermost pair of rectrices; tuft of frontal feathers very dense and brush-like, projecting forwards to cover greater part of bill and producing flat-looking head. Nominate race has entire upperside black, with extremely metallic and brilliant gloss which changes from green to bluish or purple according to light; centre of throat to breast black but highly spangled, frontal feathers, cheek, lores, chin, side of throat and belly velvety black, flanks without gloss and silvery grey; underwing-coverts and axillaries with small white tips; shaft of outermost pair of rectrices completely bare and wire-like from level of central feathers, except for barbs on both sides distally, forming long, narrow paddle-like spatula or racquet, webs of which taper on to shaft for short distance (central rectrices 104–116 mm; outer rectrix 392–453 mm, bare shaft 150–246 mm); iris red or brownish-crimson; bill and legs black. Female is similar to male but smaller, with shorter tail including similar racquets. Juvenile lacks both frontal brush and racquets, has tail slightly forked, gloss below restricted to small spangles on throat and in band across upper breast, axillaries broadly tipped white, iris brown; typical long racqueted rectrices acquired at next moult, when gloss appears above and extends farther below, white spots on axillaries still numerous but become smaller, frontal brush developing; adult plumage complete after third moult. Races differ mainly in size and shape of tail-racquets: tectirostris has broad racquets starting abruptly from shaft, central rectrix 117–129 mm, outer rectrix 402–532 mm, bare shaft 182–306 mm, length of racquet 81–120 mm, width of racquet 21–30 mm; peracensis is similar to nominate, but distal webs on outer rectrix arise more gradually from shaft, and racquet becomes both very long and narrower, cigar-shaped (length 154–228 mm, width 14–20 mm); lefoli has web on outer rectrix occupying three-quarters of length of shaft and racquet rather long, narrow and streamer-like (bare shaft 125 mm, length of racquet 330 mm).

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Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Humid broadleaf evergreen and deciduous forest; frequents shaded edge of openings, fire-lines, cultivation clearings and forest streams, also dry open woodlands and bamboo-jungle in China. Occurs at 900–2000 m in Indian Subcontinent; from lowlands to 1200 m (mostly 450–750 m) in Myanmar, but common also from 900 m to 1800 m in SE (Karen area); from foothills to 1800 m in China; not below 450 m in Malay Peninsula; 600–2500 m, principally 1200–1800 m, in Sumatra and Java. Replaces D. paradiseus at higher elevations, but overlaps with it at lower altitudes.

Mainly resident; local post-breeding descent from higher elevations in Himalayas. Breeding summer visitor in parts of S China.

Mainly insectivorous; beetles (Coleoptera), Lepidoptera, alate termites (Isoptera) and other winged insects recorded in diet, as also are spiders (Araneae). Also takes flower nectar. Typically arboreal, within dense foliage of canopy. Hawks prey principally beneath canopy, dashing in bold swoop from perch, to which it returns after each sortie, generally flying slowly, long tail feathers undulating through air; capable of great speed in pursuit of termites on the wing. Forages singly and in pairs; often associates with mixed-species flocks, including those with D. paradiseus.

Season mainly May, also Apr and Jun. Nest built by both sexes, a small shallow cup made of fine roots or other vegetable fibres and pliable stems, bound together or around twigs of branch fork with finer fibres and few cobwebs, outside diameter 7·5–11 cm, inside depth 2·5–4 cm, often scarcely more than 5 mm thick at bottom and looking like a thick network roughly built (contents visible through all sides), old nest sometimes taken apart and material reused; suspended from fork of small branch, usually less than 7 m from ground, occasionally within reach of human hand, seemingly mainly close to open place where ample light and sunshine (which increase the numbers of aerial insects, a main food source), e.g. jungle-clad ravine surrounded by tea or other plantation, patches of cultivation in forest, open glade alongside river. Clutch 3–4 eggs, warm salmon-pink to terracotta, with blurred blotches of darker terracotta, fairly dense at larger end, or dark reddish-brown mixed with secondary grey marks over whole surface (rarely, white to pale salmon-pink or yellowish-pink with variety of pale purplish-brown or reddish spots, blotches or freckles), average size 25·5 mm × 18·4 mm; incubation and brood-tending by both sexes, no information on duration of incubation and nestling periods; fledglings cared for by both parents.

Not globally threatened. Locally common in Indian Subcontinent; in Myanmar, widespread in suitable forest in N & E, rare in S, confined to bamboo in higher Karen areas but quite common in Karen Hills and Karenni; in Thailand, local in W (recorded in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary) but absent from C; locally common in China. In Peninsula Malaysia, race peracensis regular and common, present in still extensive habitat, but more dependent on closed forest than are other local drongos. Nominate race possibly threatened by deterioration of forest habitat in Sumatra, where loss of lowland forest already extensive. Race lefoli has very small range, restricted to mountains of S Cambodia; requires research to determine exact distribution, numbers and trends.