[Objectives] Avian breeding biology based on long-term study of populations or individuals is essential for understanding species life-history evolution, population dynamics, and conservation strategies. Here we present results from a long-term individual-based study on the breeding biology of Hair-crested Drongos (Dicrurus hottentottus) in central China, which is important for further understanding how this species adapts to environmental change induced by human activities. [Methods] The study was carried out at Dongzhai National Nature Reserve in southern Henan Province from 2008 to 2024. Nests were located by checking known historical sites and conducting systematic searches. Once nests were found, they were checked every 1 ~ 3 d to record the laying date, clutch size, hatching date, number of nestlings, and number of fledglings. Adult birds were captured using mist nets and marked with a metal ring and a unique combination of color rings. Nestlings were measured and ringed 0 ~ 4 d before fledging. A 50 ~ 100 μl of blood sample was collected from each individual via brachial vein puncture for sex determination and paternity testing. During the incubation and nestling periods, parental breeding behavior was recorded using video cameras placed 20 m from the nests. All analyses were performed in SPSS 27.0.1. Parametric tests were applied if the data distribution conformed to normality (Shapiro-Wilks test), otherwise, nonparametric tests were used for analysis. [Results] Among the 1 227 nest sites located, most were built on Pterocarya stenoptera, Quercus acutissima, and Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Table 1). The laying peaks occurred in late May and early June. Both the incubation period and nestling period lasted around 18 d. Average clutch size was 3.9 eggs, ranging from 2 to 5 with a model of 4. Average brood size was 3.5 chicks, average number of fledglings was 3.2 chicks. Overall, 63.7% of nesting attempts successfully produced at least one fledged young. Nest predation during the nestling period was the main reason for breeding failure. 26.5% of pairs lay replacement clutches after nest failures. The primary and secondary sex ratios of nestlings showed no significant difference at the population level or the individual level. 10.4% of the nestlings were extra-pair offspring, and there was no difference in offspring sex ratio at the population level. The overall survival rate of offspring is 3.3%, with extra-pair offspring (3.1%) showing a similar survival rate to that of within-pair offspring. The average annual survival rate was 56.5% for adult females and 60.9% for adult males. Both males and females exhibited high territorial fidelity and tended to maintain pair bonds. Males are more faithful to their territory than females. [Conclusion] We provided detailed life-history data of the Hair-crested Drongos, a common forest bird species. These findings are crucial for understanding the breeding strategies of this species and how it adapts to future environmental change.