The East African Fork-Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis fugax) is a medium-sized passerine songbird. It is also known as the Common Drongo, the African Drongo, or the Savannah Drongo.

The East African Fork-Tailed Drongo is glossy black, with duller black wings. It has patches of brown feathers. It has a large head, and a light-grey thick, hooked beak, with nasal bristles (hairs). It has orange-brown eyes. It has short legs. The feathers on its tail curve outwards, forming a fork tail.

East African Fork-Tailed Drongo

It measures about 25 centimetres (10 inches) tall.

The Fork-Tailed Drongo (Dicrurus adsimilis) is common across Africa and Asia. The East African Fork-Tailed Drongo is native to countries from southern Africa to eastern Africa, such as Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Swaziland, and South Africa. It prefers open forests and bushlands.

It is diurnal, active during the day. It is territorial, defending is territory from other birds. It eats insects, such as flies.

The East African Fork-Tailed Drongo is usually solitary and forms a monogamous pair. The female lays 2-4 eggs in a cup-shaped nest in the fork of a tree.

East African Fork-Tailed Drongo

East African Fork-Tailed Drongo

East African Fork-Tailed Drongo

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM