The drongo is the Kalahari's greatest trickster.
And these are his victims...
a family of meerkats, desert specialists.
After warming up in the morning sun,
the meerkats begin their search for breakfast.
The drongo can now begin his tricks.
But he must first win the confidence of his victims.
He spots an eagle on the hunt and sounds a warning...
one that sends the meerkats gratefully scurrying to safety.
Danger over.
And now he has their trust.
He sounds another warning.
But this time, it's a false alarm.
Thank you very much!
The meerkats fell for it.
This all seems too easy. He tries the same trick again.
But the meerkats aren't stupid.
They'll only fall for it once.
The juicy scorpion won't be for him.
Then, suddenly, the sound of a sentry's warning.
No meerkat can ignore that.
Sentries never lie... but the sentry sees no danger.
Guess who.
Of course, it's the drongo.
He's learnt to mimic the meerkats' own warning call.
And now he can enjoy his prize.
A gang of meerkats, outsmarted... by a bird.