Ashy Drongo

Koh Chang, Thailand

Also known as the Chinese white-faced drongo, the ashy drongo has a wide distribution acoss South and South East Asia.  Not all ashy drongos have the distinctive white eye ring found in the Thai sub species pictured above. In the northern part of their range, ashy drongos are migratory

Habitat

The ashy drongo is a common in a range of habitats including foothil and lowland tropical  and temperate forests, mangroves, rural gardens and agricultural land.

Feeding

The ashy drongo is an insectivore that perches in a prominent position and takes insects on the wing or by gleaning from tree trunks.  It will also occasionally feed on small verterbrates.F

Breeding

The ashy drongo's nest is a shallow cup made of dry leaves, lichen and stems often secured with cobweb and usually located at the end of a tree branch 10-20 meters above the ground.  Both parents build the nest, incubate the three to five pale, red or brown speckled eggs, and rear the chicks. Ashy drongos are highly territorial and act aggressively towards intruders.

Wildfile Specials

• Ashy drongos can imitate the calls of  other birds such as the whistle of the common iora.
• There are a number of sub species ranging in colour from near black to  pale grey.