Greater Racket-tailed Drongo

The greater racket-tailed drongo is, over most of its Asian range, the largest drongo, black with a crest of curled feathers starting above the bill and very long outer tail feathers that are bare shafts with twisted rackets at the tips; in flight it can look as if two large bees are chasing a black bird. The size of the crest varies between subspecies. The lesser racket-tailed drongo has flat rackets and almost no crest (Wikipedia, general species account).

It is conspicuous in forest, often perching in the open and calling loudly with a wide range of calls, including perfect imitations of many other birds. One idea is that the mimicry helps it lead mixed-species feeding flocks; another is that it helps it steal insects caught or flushed by other flock members. It is active well before dawn and late at dusk. Its wide range and regional variation make it a classic example of how isolated populations diverge. In India it is a resident forest bird with a large range; SoIB 2023 finds its trends uncertain and rates it a Low conservation priority (Wikipedia, general species account; SoIB 2023).