| Balicassiao | |
|---|---|
 | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Dicruridae |
| Genus: | Dicrurus |
| Species: | D. balicassius |
| Binomial name | |
| Dicrurus balicassius (Linnaeus, 1766) | |
| Synonyms | |
Corvus balicassiusLinnaeus, 1766 | |
Thebalicassiao (Dicrurus balicassius) is aspecies ofpasserine bird in the familyDicruridae.It isendemic to thePhilippines. Its naturalhabitat is tropical moist lowlandforests.
EBird describes the bird as "A medium-sized, long-tailed bird of lowland and foothill forest in the northern and central Philippines, where it is the only drongo in range. Entirely black with glossy blue upperparts and streaks on the head and neck. Tail flares out at the tip. A white-bellied race of the central Philippines may represent a separate species. Similar to Philippine Drongo-Cuckoo, but larger, with a thicker bill and upturned tail tips. Song is a complex mixture of grating scolds and loud whistles."[2]
In 1760 the French zoologistMathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the balicassiao in hisOrnithologie based on a specimen collected in the Philippines. He used the French nameLe choucas des Philippines and the LatinMonedula Philippensis.[3] Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to thebinomial system and are not recognised by theInternational Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.[4] When in 1766 the Swedish naturalistCarl Linnaeus updated hisSystema Naturae for thetwelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson.[4] One of these was the balicassiao. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined thebinomial nameCorvus balicassius and cited Brisson's work.[5] Thespecific namebalicassius is fromBalicasiao, theCebuano word for this bird.[6] This species is now placed in thegenusDicrurus that was introduced by French ornithologistLouis Pierre Vieillot in 1816.[7]
Threesubspecies are recognized:
Typically seen perching on a single conspicuous branch, where it flies of to catch insects and returns to the same perch. Also, forages by turning and searching leaves and flowers for insects. Forages alone or in small groups.
Not much is known about its breeding habits. Birds collected in breeding condition with enlarged gonds in October to July. It is generally believed that this species species breeds year-round. Nest found in March was described as an open cup made of brown plant fibers and cobwebs. This nest contained 3 eggs. No other information was published.[9]
Its naturalhabitats attropical moist lowlandprimary forest andsecondary forest up to 1,200 meters above sea level.
TheIUCN Red List has assessed this bird asleast-concern species as it is still locally common and has a large range despitedeforestation in the Philippines[10]
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