{{Short description|Species of bird}} {{speciesbox | image = Dicrurus balicassius.jpg | status = LC | status_system = IUCN3.1 | status_ref = <ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=BirdLife International |date=2016 |title=''Dicrurus balicassius'' |volume=2016 |article-number=e.T22706993A94101710 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22706993A94101710.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref> | genus = Dicrurus | species = balicassius | authority = (Linnaeus, 1766) | synonyms = ''Corvus balicassius'' {{small|Linnaeus, 1766}} }}
The '''balicassiao''' ('''''Dicrurus balicassius''''') is a species of passerine bird in the family Dicruridae. It is endemic to the Philippines. Its natural habitat is tropical moist lowland forests.
== Description and taxonomy == In 1760 the French zoologist Mathurin Jacques Brisson included a description of the balicassiao in his ''Ornithologie'' based on a specimen collected in the Philippines. He used the French name ''Le choucas des Philippines'' and the Latin ''Monedula Philippensis''.<ref name="brisson">{{cite book |last=Brisson |first=Mathurin Jacques |author-link=Mathurin Jacques Brisson |url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/36011203 |title=Ornithologie, ou, Méthode contenant la division des oiseaux en ordres, sections, genres, especes & leurs variétés |publisher=Jean-Baptiste Bauche |year=1760 |volume=2 |place=Paris |pages=31–32, Plate 2 fig 1 |language=French, Latin}} The two stars (**) at the start of the section indicates that Brisson based his description on the examination of a specimen.</ref> Although Brisson coined Latin names, these do not conform to the binomial system and are not recognised by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature.<ref name="allen">{{cite journal |last=Allen |first=J.A. |author-link=Joel Asaph Allen |year=1910 |title=Collation of Brisson's genera of birds with those of Linnaeus |journal=Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History |volume=28 |pages=317–335 |hdl=2246/678}}</ref> When in 1766 the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus updated his ''Systema Naturae'' for the twelfth edition, he added 240 species that had been previously described by Brisson.<ref name="allen" /> One of these was the balicassiao. Linnaeus included a brief description, coined the binomial name ''Corvus balicassius'' and cited Brisson's work.<ref>{{cite book |last=Linnaeus |first=Carl |author-link=Carl Linnaeus |url=https://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/42946353 |title=Systema naturae: per regna tria natura, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis |publisher=Laurentii Salvii |year=1766 |edition=12th |volume=1, Part 1 |place=Holmiae (Stockholm) |page=157 |language=Latin}}</ref> The specific name ''balicassius'' is from ''Balicasiao'', the Cebuano word for this bird.<ref name="hbwkey">{{cite web |last=Jobling |first=J.A. |year=2018 |editor1-last=del Hoyo |editor1-first=J. |editor2-last=Elliott |editor2-first=A. |editor3-last=Sargatal |editor3-first=J. |editor4-last=Christie |editor4-first=D.A. |editor5-last=de Juana |editor5-first=E. |title=Key to Scientific Names in Ornithology |url=https://www.hbw.com/dictionary/definition/balicassius-0 |access-date=20 June 2018 |work=Handbook of the Birds of the World Alive |publisher=Lynx Edicions}}</ref> This species is now placed in the genus ''Dicrurus '' that was introduced by French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1816.<ref>{{cite book |last=Vieillot |first=Louis Pierre |author-link=Louis Pierre Vieillot |url=https://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k9745205x/f47.image |title=Analyse d'une Nouvelle Ornithologie Élémentaire |publisher=Deterville/self |year=1816 |location=Paris |page=41 |language=French}}<!--BHL has a scan of an 1883 reprint - same pagination http://biodiversitylibrary.org/page/12830237 --></ref>
=== Subspecies === Three subspecies are recognized:
* ''D. b.balicassius —'' Found on Central and South Luzon, Polillo, Lubang, Verde, Mindoro, Marinduque and Catanduanes * ''D. b. abraensis —'' Found on North Luzon * ''D. b. mirabilis —'' Found on Ticao, Masbate, Panay, Guimaras, Negros, Bantayan and Cebu; has a distinct white belly and may be a separate species<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rocamora |first1=Gérard |last2=Yeatman-Berthelot |first2=Dosithée |date=2020 |title=Balicassiao (Dicrurus balicassius), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/balica1/1.0/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.balica1.01 |issn=2771-3105|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Behaviour and ecology == Typically seen perching on a single conspicuous branch, where it flies of to catch insects and returns to the same perch. Also, forages by turning and searching leaves and flowers for insects. Forages alone or in small groups.
Not much is known about its breeding habits. Birds collected in breeding condition with enlarged gonds in October to July. It is generally believed that this species breeds year-round. Nest found in March was described as an open cup made of brown plant fibers and cobwebs. This nest contained 3 eggs. No other information was published.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Rocamora |first1=Gérard |last2=Yeatman-Berthelot |first2=Dosithée |date=2020 |title=Balicassiao (Dicrurus balicassius), version 1.0 |url=https://birdsoftheworld.org/bow/species/balica1/1.0/introduction |journal=Birds of the World |language=en |doi=10.2173/bow.balica1.01 |issn=2771-3105|url-access=subscription }}</ref>
== Habitat and conservation status == Its natural habitats at tropical moist lowland primary forest and secondary forest up to 1,200 meters above sea level.
The IUCN Red List has assessed this bird as least-concern species as it is still locally common and has a large range despite deforestation in the Philippines<ref>{{Cite report |url=http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/22706993/0 |title=Dicrurus balicassius: BirdLife International: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22706993A94101710 |last=IUCN |date=2016-10-01 |publisher=International Union for Conservation of Nature |doi=10.2305/iucn.uk.2016-3.rlts.t22706993a94101710.en |language=en}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
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Category:Drongos Category:Birds of the Philippines Category:Birds described in 1766 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus Category:Taxonomy articles created by Polbot
{{Dicruridae-stub}} Category:Endemic birds of the Philippines