Scientific Name: Surniculus lugubris
Malay Name: Sewah Sawai Biasa
Chinese Name: 乌鹃
Range: Found from the Indian subcontinent to southern China and Southeast Asia with the northern populations wintering south to Southeast Asia
Taxonomy: Polytypic. Subspecies are: barussarum, brachyurus, lugubris.
Local Subspecies: brachyurus
Size: 24.5 cm
Identification: Adult has glossy black overall plumage, slender, slightly downcurved bill and square-cut to slightly forked tail with white barrings on vent and undertail coverts. Juvenile resembles adult but is somewhat browner and has prominent white spots on body and wing-coverts.
Similar looking species: Crow-billed Drongo
Habitat: The resident species are confined mainly to forest and forest edge but migrants can also be found in mangroves, parks and gardens.
Behaviour/Ecology: Known to brood parasite on Pin-striped Tit-Babbler and Olive-winged Bulbul in Singapore.
Local Status: Uncommon resident and uncommon migrant
Conservation Status: Least Concern (BirdLife International 2016)
Location: Central Catchment Forest, Dairy Farm Nature Park, Bukit Timah Nature Reserve, Singapore Botanic Gardens, former Bidadari Cemetery, Chinese/Japanese Gardens, Pasir Ris Park, Jurong Eco Garden, Sungei Buloh Wetland Reserve and Neo Tiew Lane 2.
- Bird List Revision for March 2019 (Revisions)
Migrant bar chart (see more bar charts):
Conservation Status: IUCN Red List Page
Sound Recordings: xeno-canto Link
Wikipedia Entry: Wikipedia Link
eBird Species page: eBird (Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo)
References:
BirdLife International. (2016). Surniculus lugubris. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22728167A94972858.en. Accessed on 1 January 2023
Jeyarajasingam, A., & Pearson, A. (2012). A Field Guide to the Birds of Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore. Oxford University Press.
Robson, C. (2014). Field guide to the birds of South-East Asia (Second Edition). Bloomsbury Publishing, London.
RECOMMENDED CITATION
Bird Society of Singapore. (n.d.). Square-tailed Drongo-Cuckoo. Retrieved on December 7, 2024 from https://singaporebirds.com/species/square-tailed-drongo-cuckoo.