Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo

Surniculus lugubris

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is a species of cuckoo that resembles a black drongo. In the past the species S. lugubris included the subspecies dicruroides which is now treated as a separate species the fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo. The species in its restricted sense is found along the Himalayas extending east into Southeast Asia. The calls are series of piercing sharp whistles rising in pitch but shrill and choppily delivered. It can be easily distinguished by its downcurved beak and the white barred vent and outer undertail, and the tail only notched with slightly flared tips. In flight a white wing-stripe is visible from below. It is a brood parasite on small babblers. It is not known how or whether the drongo-like appearance benefits this species but it is suspected that it aids in brood-parasitism just as hawk-cuckoos appear like hawks. The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo was formerly considered conspecific with the fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo (together known as the Asian drongo-cuckoo), but vocal and morphological differences suggested that the species should be split.
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Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoos on Birda

Sightings

A map showing the sighting location
🦢
Lucas Corneliussen
Tuesday 03 Jan 2023 - 6:55am
Thailand
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Izuan Izham
Friday 30 Dec 2022 - 8:20am
Malaysia
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Izuan Izham
Thursday 29 Dec 2022 - 8:42am
Malaysia
A map showing the sighting location
🦉
Izuan Izham
Sunday 06 Nov 2022 - 7:38am
Malaysia
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