shiny black bird created a flutter among birders in the city. It was the Spangled Drongo that is rarely sighted. “I noticed a black bird on a Peepul tree near the Sulur Lake. I first thought it was a crow because of its beak and the colour. But the feathers had a glossy sheen, and the tail feathers curled upwards and the bird also looked slimmer,” says birder P.B. Balaji.
He immediately photographed the bird and shared the image with members of Coimbatore Nature Society (CNS) Birding Club who confirmed it as the Spangled Drongo or a Hair-crested Drongo ( Dicrurus hottentottus ). “It is usually found in moist deciduous forests in the hills and foothills. This is possibly the first time the bird has been spotted in the plains. And they have hardly been sighted in the last 20 years,” says Mr. Balaji.
Mr. Balaji, who studied a short course in ornithology at Bombay Natural History Society, says that besides the Spangled Drongos, there are Black Drongos, Bronzed Drongos, Ashy Drongos and Greater Racket-tailed Drongos.
“Though most drongos feed on insects, the Spangled Drongos also feed on nectar,” says P.R. Selvaraj, president of CNS. The birds especially feed on flowers of the Red Silk Cotton tree and the Indian Coral tree. The Spangled Drongos have also been observed near eucalyptus plantations during the flowering season. Mr. Selvaraj says such unusual sightings indicate the richness of the species diversity. There is a decline in the population of Spangled Drongos across the country and the sighting has put the focus back on the bird population in the region.
“Ornithologist Sugathan has observed in Salim Ali's book, Birds of Kerala , a steep decline in the population of this species in Kerala since early 90s. The reason for this decline is unknown and needs to be studied,” says Mr. Balaji. The chance sighting in the plains has raised questions. Why has it become so difficult to sight this once common bird? The nectar-bearing flowers and trees are still plentiful in our forests. So, what caused the bird to move away from its regular habitat?
“Such unusual sightings are attributed to range extension which is a good thing as the bird that was once restricted to certain areas has extended itself to newer areas. But the downside is that unavailability of food or habitat destruction has made it difficult for the birds to find suitable mates,” explains Mr. Balaji.
He says how birds like The great Indian Bustard (last sighted in Tamil Nadu in 1972 at Sulur airport) and the Lesser floricans, which find a mention in Avvaiyar’s song gaana mayilaada kandirintha vaankozhi , have become locally extinct. “Birders should look for answers. This will help save the Spangled Drongos from extinction.”
