Greater Racket Tailed Drongo or Dicrurus paradiseus

The Greater Racket Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) is a real denizen of the forest. This medium sized Asian bird is commonly found in dense broadleaved forests. It is a dark bodied bird with 32 centimetres of length.

The adult Greater Racket Tailed Drongo has a large bill and the tail is long and shallowly forked, with the shafts of the two outermost feathers greatly extended and ending in the rackets that give this species its name.

These birds have the excellent capacity to mimic the sounds of other birds in the forest. It is always seen in the company of other birds like white-bellied tree pies, woodpeckers, minivets, flycatchers, etc. it is also known for its furious nature. It even attacks larger birds if its chicks or nest are threatened. It mainly feeds on insects like bees, wasps, beetles and dragonflies.

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