Black Drongo / Salin Taiwan
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Black Drongo / Salin Taiwan
Dicrurus macrocercus
Introduced species
This glossy black bird with a forked tail was brought from Taiwan to Rota in the 1930s to eat insects. They flew to Guam in the late 1950s and are now found throughout the island.
Called "salen Taiwan" in Chamoru, they are aggressive birds when it comes to defending their nesting territories. They will chase other birds, fruit bats, dogs and even people. They may harm Guam's remaining native birds by driving them away from their nesting areas.
Salen Taiwan are good acrobats. They use their long forked tail to help them twist and turn quickly. Salen Taiwan hunt for food from a perch. They like to sit on telephone wires or the outer branches of a tree so they can easily spot insects and look for predators. Sometimes they perch on the backs of cattle or carabao, feeding on the insects that are stirred up when the animal moves. After swooping to catch its food, the salen Taiwan returns to its perch, holds its prey down with one foot and tears it to pieces with its beak. Stiff "whiskers" by its bill help the salen Taiwan to trap small insects. It not only eats bugs but even lizards as well.
These birds build their nests out of grass, leaves and spider webs. The nests are made on flimsy outer branches of trees where predators cannot reach them. They lay three to four cream-colored eggs. In several weeks, the naked babies have grown feathers and are ready to begin catching insects on their own.
Guam Comprehensive Wildlife Conservation Strategy, 9/27/2005
