The Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) is quite a character. The funky hairdo over the beak, the long-flowing tail and its ability to mimic scores of other birds makes it one very interesting chap to watch. This individual was found next to a huge congregation of birds - the only mixed flock we saw on our trip to ARRS last month. Other birds included Brown-cheeked Fulvettas, Blue-winged Parakeets and Yellow-browed Bulbuls.
The drongo would take off from its perch on the verge of a small grassland adjoining the station campus and twist and turn in the air. It would pick up an insect or two in mid-air and alight on a branch on the other side...
Text and photo by Sandeep Somasekharan
See more posts in our On the Wing series and the Agumbe Diaries
