Jerome Wong a.k.a. broccoli photogrphed a Greater Racket-tailed Drongo (Dicrurus paradiseus) in Singapore’s Lower Peirce Reservoir. The drongo caught a large praying mantis, grabbing it around the neck and returned to its perch. The first thing it did was to tear off the mantid’s menacing pair of front limbs (above left). It then ripped off the thoracic portion before attacking the abdominal area (above right).
According to Wells (2007), prey includes alate ants and termites and an occasional small fig. A small tree frog was also reported from stomach content. Rocamora & Yeatman-Berthelot (2009) report this drongo taking nectar from various flowers, grasshoppers, locusts, butterflies, moths, beetles, termites and bees. It also takes tree frogs, small lizards and larvae. Jerome’s contribution is a new food record.
References:
1. Rocamora, G. J., & D. Yeatman-Berthelot, 2009. Family Dicruridae (Drongos). In: del Hoyo, J., A. Elliott & D. A. Christie (eds.), Handbook of the birds of the world. Vol. 14. Bush-shrikes to Old World Sparrows. Lynx Editions, Barcelona. Pp. 172-226.
2. Wells, D.R., 2007. The birds of the Thai-Malay Peninsular. Vol. II, Passerines. Christopher Helm, London. 800 pp.
This post is a cooperative effort between NaturePixels.org and BESG to bring the study of bird behaviour through photography to a wider audience.
