About Dicrurus forficatus (Linnaeus, 1766)
The adult male and female of Dicrurus forficatus are almost entirely black, with a noticeable blue-green sheen. This species has two distinctive features: a prominent crest formed from elongated feathers on the forehead, and a forked tail that is characteristic of adult individuals. The recognized subspecies D. f. potior differs from the nominate subspecies by being larger, with broader tail feathers. The nominate subspecies is endemic to Madagascar, where it occurs across the whole island, and also lives on some of the larger inshore islands including Nosy-Bé. The D. f. potior subspecies is found only on the Comoro Islands. The natural habitats of Dicrurus forficatus are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, and dry savanna, and the species typically occurs at elevations below 1,000 meters.
