Fun Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo Facts For Kids

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is a member of the Cuculidae family and a resident of various regions of Asia. Their range includes parts of Malaysia, Singapore, India, and  Bangladesh. This bird has a glossy black plumage and a square-shaped tail. They were once thought to be the same species as the fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo.

This bird is omnivorous in nature and feeds on fruits and various kinds of invertebrates. The clutch size is observed to be one egg. Female birds are known to lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, meaning they are considered to be parasitic brooders, just like the giant cowbird. The eggs of these birds have different patterns to mimic the eggs of the host bird. The population range of this bird species varies from place to place. In some regions, they are common, while in others they are considered to be rare. Despite having the conservation status of Least Concern, as marked by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature or IUCN, these birds are susceptible to habitat loss and widespread habitat destruction.

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What type of animal is a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo?

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is a kind of bird with a glossy black plumage.

What class of animal does a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo belong to?

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is a part of the class Aves. This bird species belongs to the family Cuculidae that has other cuckoo species like the yellow-billed cuckoo.

How many square-tailed drongo-cuckoos are there in the world?

The exact population of square-tailed drongo cuckoos has not been estimated. However, according to the International Union For Conservation Of Nature or IUCN, these birds have a declining population trend in the wild. Square-tailed drongo-cuckoos are common in some parts of their range including Bangladesh and Borneo, while they remain uncommon in areas like Thailand and Greater Sunda.

Where does a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo live?

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo range covers the Indian subcontinent to southern parts of China and parts of Southeast Asia. Countries like Myanmar, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, and Bangladesh are part of the distribution range of this species. These birds are resident in most of these regions. However, the northern population migrates towards north-east India and eastern Bangladesh in the summer.

What is a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo's habitat?

The habitat of the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) consists of different kinds of forests, forest edges, plantations, bamboo thickets, mangroves, and gardens. The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo distribution mostly covers lowland areas. However, in Yunan, they can occur at an elevation of up to 6,889 ft (2100 m).

Who do square-tailed drongo-cuckoos live with?

These birds are known to forage in flocks that have birds of various species. In general, cuckoos are known to be solitary in nature. The same can be assumed about the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo.

How long does a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo live?

The exact lifespan of the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is not known. However, the common cuckoo, another bird species under the Cuculidae family, has a life longevity of nearly 10 years. A similar lifespan can be assumed about the square-tailed drongo-cuckoos.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season varies in each geographical location for this species. These square-tailed drongo-cuckoos mainly lay their eggs in the nests of various babbler species. The female lays one egg after successful fertilization. The egg has different appearances in different areas to mimic the host bird's eggs because they are parasitic brooders.

What is their conservation status?

The conservation status of the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is marked as Least Concern by the International Union For Conservation Of Nature or IUCN. However, habitat loss poses a significant threat to this species.

What do square-tailed drongo-cuckoos look like?

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) has quite an enticing appearance. This bird has a glossy bluish-black plumage, with a greenish tone in the feathers of the wings. The inner secondary and tertial feathers also appear greenish. Its beak is completely black. The tail in this bird is square-shaped and the underside of the tail is white barred.

How cute are they?

The Surniculus lugubris is a species of definite adorableness. Their glossy black feathers make them quite eye-catching.

How do they communicate?

These birds communicate through vocalizations. Their calls consist of 'pi-pi' or 'pee-pee-pee' notes. They also emit a shrill 'phew-phewphew-phew' call that first rises and then descends in tone.

How big is a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo?

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo size is not very large. This bird measures between 9.4-9.8 in (24-25 cm) in length. In comparison to the black-billed cuckoo species, which measures between 11-12.6 in (28-32 cm), the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo is smaller.

How fast can a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo fly?

The flying speed of the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) has not been recorded. However, the black drongo is known to fly with strong wing movements and is even able to perform maneuvers. The same can be assumed about the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo.

How much does a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo weigh?

The weight of a square-tailed drongo-cuckoo is between 0.9-1.5 oz (26-43.6 g).

What are the male and female names of the species?

Male and female birds of this species are known as male square-tailed drongo-cuckoos and female square-tailed drongo-cuckoos.

What would you call a baby square-tailed drongo-cuckoo?

A baby square-tailed drongo-cuckoo is known as a chick.

What do they eat?

These birds are omnivorous in nature. Their diet includes spiders, various insects like beetles and termites, and fruits like figs and banyans. They tend to search for their prey on foliage canopies.

Are they dangerous?

No, the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) is not considered to be dangerous.

Would they make a good pet?

Since Surniculus lugubris is a species of truly wild habits, it would be difficult to domesticate it.

Did you know...

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) has three subspecies which are the Surniculus lugubris barussarum, Surniculus lugubris lugubri, and Surniculus lugubris brachyurus.

How is it different from other cuckoos?

The square-tailed drongo-cuckoo (Surniculus lugubris) has certain differences when compared to other cuckoos. For instance, the oriental cuckoo has gray plumage and a creamy-white belly region, unlike the square-tailed drongo-cuckoo which is glossy black. The lesser coucal, which is another kind of cuckoo, has separate breeding and non-breeding plumage, which is not observed in square-tailed drongo-cuckoo birds.

Why are they called square-tailed drongo-cuckoo?

The word 'drongo' has been taken from the native language of Madagascar, which is now used to refer to all birds in the family Dicruridae, to which the square-tailed drongo-cuckoos used to belong to when it was thought to be conspecific with the fork-tailed drongo-cuckoo. 'Square-tailed' has been added as this bird has a long and square-shaped tail.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other birds from our frigate bird facts and giant kingfisher facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable greater racket tailed drongo coloring pages.