Birda Logo
Features
Birda+
About
Species Guide
Challenges
Shop
loading...

Sri Lanka Drongo

Dicrurus lophorinus

The Sri Lanka drongo, also known as the Ceylon crested drongo, is a striking bird with a glossy black plumage that shimmers with metallic blue or greenish-blue hues. It boasts an arching, helmet-like crest atop its head and a deeply forked tail, which adds to its distinctive silhouette. The red eye of this bird is a vivid contrast to its dark feathers, and both sexes share a similar appearance.

Identification Tips

When attempting to identify the Sri Lanka drongo, look for its glossy black plumage with a metallic sheen, the pronounced crest on its head, and its deeply forked tail. The red eye is also a key feature to distinguish it from other species. Observers should note that the bird's overall black coloration can make it challenging to spot in the dense forest habitats it frequents.

Habitat

The Sri Lanka drongo is endemic to the island of Sri Lanka, where it inhabits subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests, as well as montane forests. It is a bird of the forest, often found along the edges, in plantations, and in wooded gardens.

Distribution

This species is found throughout the Wet zone of the South Western parts of Sri Lanka, ranging from Deduru Oya to Walawe. It is a bird that is very much a part of the island's lush forest ecosystems.

Behaviour

The Sri Lanka drongo is a forest dweller that prefers the periphery of the woods, plantations, and wooded gardens. It typically feeds on insects, which it catches from open perches. Known for its vocal mimicry, the drongo can imitate the calls of other birds, though its renditions often have a metallic quality.

Song & Calls

The Sri Lanka drongo is an accomplished mimic, capable of imitating the calls of various bird species. Its own calls, however, are distinct in having a metallic sound, which can help birdwatchers distinguish it from the birds it impersonates.

Conservation status

The IUCN Red List has classified the Sri Lanka drongo as Least Concern, indicating that, at present, there are no immediate threats to its population levels that would warrant a higher degree of conservation concern.

Similar Species

While the Sri Lanka drongo was once considered a subspecies of the greater racket-tailed drongo, it is now recognized as a separate species. It differs from its relatives in tail morphology and possibly voice, making careful observation and listening key to distinguishing it from similar species.

Diet and Feeding

The diet of the Sri Lanka drongo consists primarily of insects, which it adeptly captures from its vantage points on open perches within its forested habitat.

App logo
Birda is a birdwatching app and community aimed at curious people who want to deepen their connection with nature.

Sri Lanka Drongos on Birda

Sightings
A map showing the sighting location
🐦
Edward Clifford
18 Mar 2019 - 7:33am
Sri Lanka

More Drongos

A photo of a Fork-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis)

Fork-tailed Drongo

Dicrurus adsimilis
Birda Logo

Your birdwatching journey like never before

Connect with nature in minutes
Take a walk, look out of the window and log the birds that you see. Feel good about those little connections to nature.
Discover the joy of birding
Find new birding spots, see more birds, share and celebrate with a like-minded community of nature lovers.
Play your part in saving nature
Logging your birding sightings and sessions turns into positive action for our planet. Every sighting counts.

Birda Blog

What Our Birders Say
Chudbond
Love Birda
I love this app. It really encourages you to log your sightings and the community is friendly and helpful.
JCBirding
Just what birding needs
We need more fun in birding, for years it has had a reputation for being up tight and stuffy and only perused by retirees and anoraks. Birda helps change that perception and firmly brings birding into the 21st century! Fun, interactive while still contributing to science and conservation. If you aren’t on it, why not??
BCHphotography_
Such a great app!
I didn’t think I could enjoy birding more but this app makes it so much better. Some great features and a really great way to share your sightings with your friends or fellow birders nearby or around the world! ❤️
Hip An
Fantastic
Really enjoying Birda where I live i have a lot of Red kites really hard to photograph but I can video are you planning some place on the app where us Birda can post vids🦉🦅
Dunners12345
Great App
Great app to use for logging and communicating with others who are interested in birds
Viperray5
Loving it
I really enjoy being able to interact with other birders on this platform! This seems like a great way to meet other birders and find some new spots.
Jane N
A great app
Enjoying it immensely and finding it useful too. Recording the different birds and counting them is showing me how the present climate is affecting them all. I've trebled the numbers by planting native hedging. A great app.
Trevarthen1
Birda fan
I really enjoy using Birda, all sightings are recorded and photos can be added. There are monthly challenges which help to get you out to record your sightings. The Birda community are great and are happy to help with unidentified bird sightings. Suitable for all ages and experience!
Emma L
App got me interested in birding!
Super friendly community <3 This app got me interested in birding! It teaches me cool stuff and its super friendly, and fun :) The species guide is really developing my knowledge, and i love seeing cool new birds from round the world!
EandB17
Terrific App for Birders
Downloaded Birda around the time my interest in birding was sparked, and it has been a terrific app to help me (1) share my experience, (2) document my sightings, and (3) learn more about birds in general. That said, I also believe Birda is a fantastic app for birders of all experience levels. Great community!
As featured in
Birda Logo
AboutPressAmbassadorsAffiliatesInfluencersCareersPrivacyTerms & Conditions
An app for birdwatchers
Connect with us
Copyright © 2024 Chirp Birding. All rights reserved.