Small Green Bee Eater (Merops orientalis) and Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus)

November 22, 2024

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Distributed in Indian Sub-continent, Southern China, Main land South East Asian countries and Iran. Also seen in Afghanistan.
Feeds mainly on flying insects.
A species of least concern as per I.U.C.N.
Birds have overall greenish plumage. Chin and throat are greenish blue. The crown, nape and upper back are light brown. Central tail feathers almost 7 cm long prolonged into blunt pins. A black line runs from the back of the beak to the eyes and beyond. Bill is black, slender, long and curved. The iris is brown.
A species having low forest dependency, they inhabit low land and dry ecosystems and may occur up to an altitude of 2500 meters.
Breeding season is from February to May. They usually nest in loose colonies on river bunds, earth banks and mounds. They excavate horizontal tunnels up to 2 meters deep. The end of the tunnel is expanded into a rest chamber. Both parents incubate the eggs and take care of the fledgling. The bee-heater juveniles fledge in about 25 days.

Distributed in Afghanistan, Indian Subcontinent, South east Asia and Taiwan. Vagrants have been observed in Iran, Oman and UAE.
They are aggressive and fearless birds.
The Black drongo is medium sized about 28 to 31 cm in length. Both sexes look alike.
The Black drongo is overall black. The tail feathers are long and forked. The bill is short, slightly curved down and dark grey in colour.
Do not normally live in forests. Natural habitat includes tropical and sub-tropical grass lands, tropical and sub tropical most shrublands, dry savannah and dry shrublands.
Diet consists manly of insects, caterpillars and other flying inspects whom thy catch in flight.
They may follow cattle in pastures to catch insects flushed out and are highly territorial and may protect their territories very aggressively.
Drongos are monogamous and often raise two broods in a breeding season peaking from April to June.
Nests are usually in the fork of a tree branch, cup shaped and made with a thin layer of leaves and twigs. Both parents incubate the eggs. The eggs may hatch in 14 to 15 days. Fledging stage lasts for 16 to 20 days.
Included as a species of least concern under the IUCN status.

Acknowledgements-Dr. Yashpal Singh, Mrs. Neena Singh, Mr. Rajesh Bedi, Manoj Kumar Yadav