It is found widely distributed across eastern and Southeast Asia, with several populations that vary in the shade of grey, migration patterns and in the size or presence of white patches around the eye.

It is found in more tall forest habitat, has dark grey underside lacking the sheen of black drongo.

Charles Vaurie described subspecies beavani (after Robert Cecil Beavan[4]) as the population that breeds along the Himalayas that wintered in peninsular India.

Along the southeast Asian island chain, there are number of insular populations including periophthalmus, ryukyuensis, batakensis, phaedrus, siberu and nigrescens.

[8] The breeding season is May to June with a clutch of three or four reddish or brown eggs laid in a loose cup nest in a tree.