Ashy Drongo

Ashy Drongo (Dicrurus leucophaeus) is a slim grey drongo with a forked tail, dark bill and variable plumage that ranges from pale ash-grey to much darker shades. Body shape, bill structure, plumage pattern and voice provide the strongest field characters. Age, sex and season may alter its appearance, so identification should combine several features and careful direct field comparisons with similar species in the same habitat (Wikipedia, general species account).

It inhabits forest edges and open woodland across eastern and Southeast Asia, catching insects in aerial sallies from exposed perches; different populations vary in migration and facial markings. Its movements and social behaviour vary through the year, with breeding birds generally more dispersed and non-breeding birds gathering where food is concentrated. Japanese records place it within the country's documented avifauna as a resident, migrant or visitor (Wikipedia, general species account; Wildlife of Japan occurrence records).