Birds of India - The New Synopsis

A complete checklist of bird species and subspecies found in India

Passeriformes (Perching Birds)

Dicruridae (Drongos)

• Dicrurus Vieillot, 1816 Analyse d'une Nouvelle Ornithologie Élémentaire p.41 Corvus balicassius Linnaeus, 1766; Type by subsequent designation (Gray, 1841, A list of the genera of birds, with their synonyma and with an indication of the typical species of each genus. 2nd. ed., ed. 2, p.47)
  • 670. Bronzed Drongo Dicrurus aeneus Vieillot, 1817
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 670a. Dicrurus aeneus aeneus Vieillot, 1817 [HB#971]
      Original Description: Dicrurus aeneus Vieillot, 1817 Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts, à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique, à la médecine, etc. Nouvelle édition 9 p.586 (Bengal)
      Distribution: E Himachal, Uttarakhand, W Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, and all NE hill states; extending south through the NE Ghats of Odisha till S Chhattisgarh and NE Andhra; also, further west sporadically through C Indian highlands till Kanha; disjunctly in the W Ghats and coastal midlands from about Mumbai south till Kanyakumari but also in the transition zone in the Deccan Karnataka as well as most of the SE Ghats hillocks reaching Tirumala hills in CE Ghats.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, MYS, LKO, BNHM
  
  
  • 671. Lesser Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus remifer (Temminck, 1823)
    Original Description: Edolius remifer Temminck, 1823 Nouveau recueil de planches coloriées d'oiseaux, pour servir de suite et de complément aux planches enluminées de Buffon livr.30 pl.178
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 671a. Dicrurus remifer tectirostris (Hodgson, 1836) [HB#972]
      Original Description: (Bhringa) Tectirostris Hodgson, 1836 The India Review and Journal of Foreign Science and the Arts 1 p.325-326
      Distribution: SE Himachal, Uttarakhand, N Uttar Pradesh, N Bihar, W Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, and all NE hill states. Vagrant to NE Odisha.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, LKO, BNHM
  
  
  • 672. Crow-billed Drongo Dicrurus annectens (Hodgson, 1836) [HB#970]
    Original Description: Bhuchanga annectans Hodgson, 1836 The India Review and Journal of Foreign Science and the Arts 1 p.326
    Distribution: Breeding: E Himachal, Uttarakhand, N Uttar Pradesh, Sikkim, N Bengal, Assam, Arunachal. Non-breeding: Spreading also to S W Bengal, N Odisha, Nagaland, Cachar, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura. Straggling to Jammu region, Madhya Pradesh, NE Andhra, and Narcondam Is.
    Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH
    IUCN: Least Concern. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Notes: Nicobar report in AR2001 not evaluated but could be a vagrant. Movements not covered in detail here.
  
  
  • 673. Andaman Drongo Dicrurus andamanensis Beavan, 1867
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: High. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    Endemic: Andaman & Nicobar Is.
    • 673a. Dicrurus andamanensis dicruriformis (Hume, 1873) [HB#974]
      Original Description: Dissemuroides dicruriformis Hume, 1873 Stray Feathers Vol. 1, N° 5 p.408-409
      Distribution: N Andamans.
      Specimens: ZSI
      Notes: Restricted to N Andamans and Coco islands while middle Andaman birds are intermediate (Abdulali 1977, JBNHS 73 (3): 507). The only listed specimen (ZSI#35196) is from Austin Is., Mayabundar, Middle Andamans and hence need reassessment.
    • 673b. Dicrurus andamanensis andamanensis Beavan, 1867 [HB#975]
      Original Description: Dicrurus andamanensis Beavan, 1867 Ibis p.323 (Port Blair, S Andaman Is.)
      Distribution: Middle, S, and Little Andaman Is. including islets of Interview, Long, Outram, Nicholson, Havelock, Neil, Ross (Netaji), Alexandra, Tarmugli, and Rutland Is.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM
      Notes: Middle Andaman birds parked under this.
  
  
  • 674. Greater Racket-tailed Drongo Dicrurus paradiseus (Linnaeus, 1766)
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 674a. Dicrurus paradiseus grandis (Gould, 1836) [HB#976]
      Original Description: Edolius grandis Gould, 1836 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Part 4 p.5
      Distribution: Along the Himalaya from Uttarakhand, N Uttar Pradesh, N Bihar, sporadic in Gangetic plains, N Bengal, S Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, and adjoining Meghalaya.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, HYD, LKO, BNHM
    • 674b. Dicrurus paradiseus rangoonensis (Gould, 1836)
      Original Description: Edolius rangoonensis Gould, 1836 Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London Part 4 p.5
      Distribution: C India from NE Maharashtra and E Madhya Pradesh, through Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, N Telangana, Odisha, NE Andhra till Godavari river; extending further east through S W Bengal, Tripura, Meghalaya, Cachar, Nagaland, Manipur, and Mizoram.
      Specimens: NHMUK, UMMZ, FMNH
      Notes: Intergradation zone with grandis not clear; intergrades with the nominate subspecies in NE Ghats.
    • 674c. Dicrurus paradiseus paradiseus (Linnaeus, 1766) [HB#977]
      Original Description: Cuculus paradiseus Linnaeus, 1766 Systema Naturæ. Editio duodecima reformata. Tomus I [part 1] 12, p.172
      Taxonomy: Includes malabaricus Lathan 1790 from Malabar.
      Distribution: W Ghats from Surat Dangs till the southern tip of the Ghats including the W Coastal plains and midlands as well as the Deccan transition zone in Maharashtra and Karnataka. Also, extends east through SE Ghats and CE Ghats up till Tirumala and Kadapa.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, TNHM, MYS
    • 674d. Dicrurus paradiseus otiosus (Richmond, 1902) [HB#980]
      Original Description: Dissemurus malabaricus otiosus Richmond, 1902 Proceedings of the United States National Museum 25 no.1288 p.290 (Andaman Is)
      Distribution: N, Middle, S, and Little Andaman Is. as well as the islets of Interview, Long, Outram, Nicholson, Havelock, Neil, Ross (Netaji), Alexandra, Tarmugli, Boat, and Rutland Is.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, FMNH, ROM, USNM
    • 674e. Dicrurus paradiseus nicobariensis (Baker, 1918) [HB#981]
      Original Description: Dissemurus paradiseus nicobariensis Baker, 1918 Novitates Zoologicae 25 p.302 (Kondel, S Nicobar Is)
      Distribution: Car Nicobar Is., C Nicobar group (Kamorta, Nancowry, and Katchal) and S Nicobar group (Little and Great Nicobar Is.).
      Type Specimen: NHMUK#1883.3.1.2362 (Syntype).
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, USNM
      Notes: No specimens from Car Nicobar Is. but subspecies is presumably the same.
  
  
  • 675. Hair-crested Drongo Dicrurus hottentottus (Linnaeus, 1766)
    Alternative Names: Spangled Drongo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 675a. Dicrurus hottentottus hottentottus (Linnaeus, 1766) [HB#973]
      Original Description: Corvus hottentottus Linnaeus, 1766 Systema Naturæ. Editio duodecima reformata. Tomus I [part 1] 12, p.155 (Chandannagar, W Bengal)
      Taxonomy: Includes londae Koelz 1939 from Londa, NW Karnataka.
      Distribution: Along the Himalaya from Jammu, through Himachal, Uttarakhand, N Haryana, N Uttar Pradesh, N Bihar, N Bengal, Sikkim, Arunachal, Assam, and all NE hill states; extending south to S W Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, E Madhya Pradesh, NE Maharashtra, E Ghats of Andhra and Tamil Nadu, N Telangana, and S Karnataka; W Ghats from Surat Dangs, through Mumbai region, Goa, till the southern tip in S Kerala.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, LKO, BNHM
      Notes: Movements not mapped but certainly migratory in parts of S India.
  
  
  • 676. White-bellied Drongo Dicrurus caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758)
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Moderate. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 676a. Dicrurus caerulescens caerulescens (Linnaeus, 1758) [HB#967]
      Original Description: Lanius caerulescens Linnaeus, 1758 Systema Naturæ per Regna Tria Naturæ, Secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata 1 p.95 (Bengal)
      Distribution: SE Himachal, NW Haryana, S Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Delhi region, E Rajasthan, Gujarat (except Kachchh), Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, W Bengal, Odisha, Telangana, and Andhra; W Ghats from Surat Dangs further south till about Nilgiris; S Karnataka, eastern slopes of SW Ghats, SE Ghats and sporadic in SW coastal plains.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, MYS, HYD, LKO
  
  
  • 677. Ashy Drongo Dicrurus leucophaeus Vieillot, 1817
    Original Description: Dicrurus leucophaeus Vieillot, 1817 Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts, à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique, à la médecine, etc. Nouvelle édition 9 p.587
    Alternative Names: Grey Drongo
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 677a. Dicrurus leucophaeus leucogenis (Walden, 1870) [HB#966b]
      Original Description: Buchanga leucogenis Walden, 1870 The Annals and Magazine of Natural History including Zoology, Botany, and Geology ser. 4, vol. V, N° 27 p.219-220
      Distribution: Middle and S Andaman Is. as well as Havelock and Narcondam Is.
      Specimens: BNHS
      Notes: Not possible to assign every individual to leucogenis or salangensis; available specimens from Andaman Is are of this subspecies and hence other sight and photographic reports are tentatively parked here. However, both subspecies could potentially occur there.
    • 677b. Dicrurus leucophaeus salangensis Reichenow, 1890 [HB#966a]
      Original Description: Dicrurus leucogenys var. salangensis Reichenow, 1890 Nomenclator Musei Heineani Ornithologici p.69
      Distribution: Chizami (Nagaland), Barha RF (Madhya Pradesh), W Bengal (a few times), and Tripura (twice).
      Notes: Well-identified records from the mainland are from Nagaland (though the specimen in ZSI could not be located) and Madhya Pradesh (see Williams & Yadav 2018, IB 14 (4): 123). Other reports are parked here but could have been leucogenis as well; though some photographs from W Bengal are very likely of this subspecies. Report from Gir, Gujarat (Trivedi & Parmer 2023, FL 4: 9) probably this.
    • 677c. Dicrurus leucophaeus longicaudatus Jerdon, 1862 [HB#965]
      Original Description: Dicrurus longicaudatus Jerdon, 1862 The birds of India; being a natural history of all the birds known to inhabit continental India: with descriptions of the species, genera, families, tribes, and orders, and a brief notice of such families as are not found in India, making it a manual of ornithology specially adapted for India 1 p.430 (Sigur Pass, Tamil Nadu)
      Taxonomy: Breeding population in C India may be this or an undescribed subspecies.
      Distribution: Summer: Kashmir, Jammu, Himachal, Uttarakhand, N Bengal, and Sikkim. Winter: Throughout India (with the exception of Thar), west till Gujarat, south till Kanyakumari, and east till W Bengal.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, MYS, BNHM
    • 677d. Dicrurus leucophaeus hopwoodi Baker, 1918 [HB#966]
      Original Description: Dicrurus leucophaeus hopwoodi Baker, 1918 Novitates Zoologicae 25 p.294
      Taxonomy: Includes stevensi Baker 1918 from Darjeeling.
      Distribution: Arunachal, Assam, and all NE hill states.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, ROM, USNM, YPM
      Notes: Short distance migrant that spreads to the plains after breeding. Presence of sooty form of Ashy Drongo like mouhoti Walden, 1870 from SE Asia likely in E India; reports not evaluated properly.
  
  
  • 678. Black Drongo Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817
    IUCN: Least Concern. SoIB: Low. WLPA: Schedule-II.
    • 678a. Dicrurus macrocercus albirictus (Hodgson, 1836) [HB#962]
      Original Description: Bhuchanga albirictus Hodgson, 1836 The India Review and Journal of Foreign Science and the Arts 1 p.326
      Taxonomy: Includes tsipi Koelz 1954 from Palasbari, Assam; from where they tend to show affinities towards cathoecus Swinhoe 1871 of Myanmar. (AR2001).
      Distribution: N subcontinent from Kashmir, Ladakh (sporadic), Jammu, south till about S Rajasthan, N Madhya Pradesh, S Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, and S W Bengal; extending northeast through N Bengal, Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal, and all NE hill states.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, UMZC, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, MCZ, ROM, USNM, YPM, BNHM
    • 678b. Dicrurus macrocercus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 [HB#963]
      Original Description: Dicrurus macrocercus Vieillot, 1817 Nouveau dictionnaire d'histoire naturelle, appliquée aux arts, à l'agriculture, à l'économie rurale et domestique, à la médecine, etc. Nouvelle édition 9 p.588 (Chennai)
      Taxonomy: Includes peninsularis Ticehurst 1932 from Chennai [=Madras] city.
      Distribution: Entire peninsular India south of line connecting Kachchh, N Madhya Pradesh, N Odisha, and S W Bengal.
      Specimens: BNHS, ZSI, NHMUK, UMMZ, AMNH, FMNH, ROM, USNM, YPM, HYD, FTLB