Black-backed Puffback (Dryoscopus cubla)
Illustration redrawn by AI from a real photograph

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla (Latham, 1801)

17 cmLength26 gWeight

The black-backed puffback (Dryoscopus cubla) is a species of passerine bird in the family Malaconotidae.

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania

Least Concern

Where and when it's recorded

Busiest months: November · Most records: South Africa, Kenya, Tanzania

Black-backed Puffback has been recorded at 282 of the 8,276 birding hotspots we track, in 14 countries and regions.

Records by month Southern Hemisphere

Where it's recorded most

  1. Kruger NP – Skukuza CampSouth Africa707 records
  2. St Lucia – iGwalagwala TrailSouth Africa695 records
  3. Nairobi NPKenya675 records
More places
  1. Mkhuze GRSouth Africa560 records
  2. Kruger NP – Satara CampSouth Africa502 records
  3. Arusha NPTanzania414 records
  4. Arabuko-Sokoke Forest NRKenya406 records
  5. Eshowe – Dlinza ForestSouth Africa354 records
  6. Kruger NP – Berg-en-Dal CampSouth Africa344 records
  7. Karura ForestKenya340 records

Countries and regions with the most records

South AfricaKenyaTanzaniaZimbabweZambiaMozambiqueNamibiaBotswana

eBird records via GBIF up to 2024-12-31. A record means someone listed it; more records partly mean more birders, not more birds.

About

The black-backed puffback (Dryoscopus cubla) is a species of passerine bird in the family Malaconotidae. They are common to fairly common sedentary bushshrikes in various wooded habitats in Africa south of the equator. They restlessly move about singly, in pairs or family groups, and generally frequent tree canopies.

Excerpt from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0 · authors · Read more on Wikipedia

Questions

How big is the Black-backed Puffback?

The Black-backed Puffback is about 17 cm long and weighs around 26 g.

Where does the Black-backed Puffback live?

Its breeding range: Africa: central, eastern, southern. It is most often recorded in South Africa, Kenya and Tanzania.

When is the best time to see the Black-backed Puffback?

At the hotspots we track, it is recorded most in November (Southern Hemisphere).

Is the Black-backed Puffback endangered?

The IUCN Red List classifies the Black-backed Puffback as Least Concern.

What does the Black-backed Puffback eat?

Main food: Insects & other invertebrates.

What family is the Black-backed Puffback in?

It belongs to the family Bushshrikes (Malaconotidae), order Passerines (Passeriformes).

At a glance

Length
17 cm
Weight
26 g
Habitat
Woodland
Diet
Insects & other invertebrates
Lifestyle
Perches in trees
Migration
Resident (barely migrates)
Conservation
Least Concern
More measurements
Wing
79 mm
Tail
65 mm
Bill
21 mm
Tarsus
23 mm

Averages from the AVONET dataset; length from field guides where available.

Range

Africa: central, eastern, southern

Breeding range, IOC World Bird List 15.2

Classification

Order
Passerines Passeriformes
Family
Bushshrikes Malaconotidae
Genus
Dryoscopus

Other birds in the genus Dryoscopus

Sabine's PuffbackSabine's PuffbackDryoscopus sabiniPink-footed PuffbackPink-footed PuffbackDryoscopus angolensisRed-eyed PuffbackRed-eyed PuffbackDryoscopus senegalensisNorthern PuffbackNorthern PuffbackDryoscopus gambensisPringle's PuffbackPringle's PuffbackDryoscopus pringliiFiery-breasted BushshrikeFiery-breasted BushshrikeMalaconotus cruentusMonteiro's BushshrikeMonteiro's BushshrikeMalaconotus monteiriGrey-headed BushshrikeGrey-headed BushshrikeMalaconotus blanchotiLagden's BushshrikeLagden's BushshrikeMalaconotus lagdeniGreen-breasted BushshrikeGreen-breasted BushshrikeMalaconotus gladiator
Black-backed Puffback

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Free to use with credit: “Illustration: Bird Album (birdalbum.com)”. Drawn by AI from a reference photo by Paolo Candotti. ↗

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