The Master of Mimicry: How the Drongo Steals Dinner with a Song
The Greater Racket-tailed Drongo is a master of avian deception. Imagine a bird that can mimic the calls of other species to steal their hard-earned meals – that's this clever trickster in action! Studies in Karnataka, India, revealed that the Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) can mimic over 40 bird species, along with mammals, insects, and even frogs! Greater Racket-tailed Drongo get their name from the long, racket like outer tail streamers. These impressive birds can be found throughout the Western Ghats, all the way down to the Kerala coastline. Their range extends to the central Indian forests, Orissa, the Himalayan foothills, and many parts of the Northeast. Drongos are nature's ultimate pranksters. These clever birds possess an impressive level of intelligence, allowing them to learn and mimic the calls of a staggering array of creatures. The Black Drongo (Dicrurus macrocercus) is known to mimic the calls of fearsome predators like Shikra...