Dicruridae
Dicruridae(drongos; class Aves, order Passeriformes) A family of small to medium, glossy black birds that have stout, hooked bills and rictal bristles, some being crested. Their tails are medium to long, often having distinctive curled or racquet-shaped feathers. They are aggressive and inhabit forests, flycatching for insects and building open or semi-pendant nests. There are two genera, with 20 species, 19 of them in the genus Dicrurus: (D. hottentottus (spangled drongo) has at least 31 subspecies and is one of the most variable birds.) The monotypic genus Chaetorhynhus papuensis (Papuan mountain drongo) has 12, not 10, tail feathers, and is endemic to New Guinea.
More From encyclopedia.com
NEARBY TERMS
Dicruridae
