The Drongo: The Smartest Mimic Bird

• Drongos are typically completely black or dark grey with a glossy, metallic sheen.
• Their most identifying physical feature is their tail. It is long and deeply forked (split into two curved points at the end, like a fish tail).
• They have stout, slightly hooked beaks designed for catching fast-flying insects.

In Hindi, the Black Drongo is respectfully called the 'Kotwal' (The Policeman).

• This is because they are fiercely aggressive and territorial. If a massive eagle, crow, or hawk comes anywhere near a Drongo's nest, the tiny Drongo will relentlessly dive-bomb and physically attack the predator until it flies away.
• Because they provide such a safe zone, other small, weaker birds intentionally build their nests near Drongo nests for free police protection.

The African Fork-tailed Drongo is famous in biology for a behavior called 'Kleptoparasitism' (stealing food).

• The Drongo is an excellent mimic. It can perfectly copy the specific 'Predator Alarm Call' of other animals, like meerkats.
• When a meerkat finds a juicy scorpion to eat, the watching Drongo mimics the meerkat's 'Eagle Warning' cry.
• The terrified meerkat drops the food and runs for its life to hide in a hole. The Drongo immediately swoops down, steals the free food, and flies away.