The Moluccan drongo-cuckoo is a species of cuckoo. It is found on Sulawesi, Buton, Obira, Bacan and Halmahera islands in Indonesia.
Region
Wallacea (Indonesia)
Typical Environment
Occurs on Sulawesi and nearby islands including Buton, Obi, Bacan, and Halmahera. It inhabits lowland and lower montane rainforest, forest edges, and well-wooded secondary growth. The species favors the mid- to upper canopy, perching quietly in shaded foliage. It is typically local but can be fairly common where intact forest remains.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1500 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This brood-parasitic cuckoo resembles a small drongo, with a dark glossy plumage and a slightly forked tail that helps it blend among real drongos. It lays its eggs in the nests of smaller passerines, leaving the hosts to raise its young. It keeps to the forest interior and is often detected by its clear, whistled calls rather than by sight.
Temperament
secretive and unobtrusive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats with quick sallies between perches
Social Behavior
Mostly solitary outside the breeding season and spends long periods perched quietly in the canopy. As a brood parasite, it does not build its own nest and instead deposits eggs in the nests of smaller insectivorous passerines. Courtship involves persistent calling and short display flights through the mid-canopy.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear, fluty whistles, often rising or falling slightly and repeated at intervals. Calls carry well through forest and are often the first clue to its presence.
Plumage
Glossy black to sooty plumage with a slight bluish sheen; underparts uniformly dark with faint pale spotting or barring limited to the undertail in some individuals.
Diet
Feeds primarily on insects, especially caterpillars, beetles, and mantises. It also takes other soft-bodied arthropods when available. Foraging is done by sallying from shaded perches and by gleaning prey from leaves and branches. It occasionally hawks flying insects in short bursts.
Preferred Environment
Most often feeds in the mid- to upper canopy of primary and mature secondary forest. It also uses forest edges and well-wooded clearings, especially where insect activity is high.
