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        Discussion Area 討論區 >> Bird Identification 鳥類辨識 >>  Unsure Drongo?
        
(Message started by: Neil on Oct 12^th, 2006, 10:26pm)

Title: Unsure Drongo?
Post by Neil on Oct 12^th, 2006, 10:26pm

I photographed this Drongo on lamma earlier in the week. I thought it was a Black Drongo but on closer inspection it appears to have a blue tinge. When I ran an Auto Levels over it you see the blue really comes out. Could this be a Hair-crested Drong? Neil

Lamma Island,
Hong Kong,
China.
08/10/06

Olympus 7070wz plus Swarovski STS80HD scope and Sw 30x eyepiece and DCA adapter

http://www.pbase.com/neilfif11/image/68441927.jpg
http://www.pbase.com/neilfif11/image/68441928.jpg

Title: Re: Unsure Drongo?
Post by Tony on Oct 12^th, 2006, 10:52pm

Do you have any other post of this bird?

But I do think its still a black drongo since I saw a deep forked tailed in the first pic and the tail tips didn't curve upward that much as in a Hair-crested Drongo. Furthermore, the undertail coverts appear banded in the first pic which indicate it may be a juvenile drongo.

Title: Re: Unsure Drongo?
Post by johnallcock on Oct 13^th, 2006, 9:56am

This is certainly a black drongo. Hair-crested is a larger, bulky bird with a longer, heavy bill. Although it has a stronger blue tinge than black, this is most obvious on the wings (which usually contrast with the back).
Also, as Tony notes, the tail of hair-crested would turn up more at the sides, and the tail would also be less deeply forked (the tail fork is just visible on the first photo)
The pale spot by the bill is also supposed to be a feature of black drongo but I have never seen this in the field.

Black drongo has a blue tinge which is obvious in some lights, and is also probably stronger in fresh plumage.