The Philippine drongo-cuckoo is a bird of the cuckoo family found only in the Philippines. It was formerly a subspecies of the Square-tailed drongo-cuckoo. It is found tropical moist lowland forest up to 1,000 meters above sea level. It is declining due to habitat loss.
Region
Philippine Archipelago
Typical Environment
Occurs in tropical moist lowland and foothill forests across several Philippine islands. It favors primary forest but also uses secondary growth, forest edges, and riverine corridors where tall trees remain. Most records are from the midstory to canopy, where it forages quietly and calls from shaded perches. It persists locally in logged areas if sufficient tree cover is retained, but is scarce in open agricultural landscapes.
Altitude Range
0–1000 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
This brood-parasitic cuckoo mimics the appearance of drongos, which may help it avoid aggression from potential hosts. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the Square-tailed Drongo-cuckoo but is now recognized as distinct and confined to the Philippines. Its clear, whistled calls carry through the forest canopy and often reveal its presence long before it is seen.
Temperament
solitary and secretive
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats between perches with brief glides
Social Behavior
Typically solitary or in pairs during the breeding season, keeping to the mid-canopy. As a brood parasite, it lays its eggs in the nests of small passerines such as tailorbirds and babblers; it does not build its own nest. Courtship is discreet, with males giving persistent calls from concealed perches.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
Gives clear, plaintive whistles, often a descending series repeated at intervals. Calls carry far through the forest and are most frequent at dawn and late afternoon.
Plumage
Velvety, glossy black overall with a slight bluish sheen; underparts similarly dark with faint pale barring toward the undertail. Tail is square-tipped with subtle pale edging or corners visible in good light.
Diet
Primarily hunts insects such as caterpillars, beetles, and orthopterans, occasionally taking spiders and other small arthropods. Like many cuckoos, it can handle hairy or noxious caterpillars that other birds avoid. It forages by sallying from shaded perches and gleaning from foliage and twigs.
Preferred Environment
Feeds in the midstory to canopy of humid lowland forest and tall secondary growth. Often along edges, clearings, and river margins where prey is abundant but cover remains.
