Black-backed Puffback
Black-backed PuffbackBlack-backed PuffbackBlack-backed PuffbackBlack-backed Puffback

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · With luck
overall probability at Addo Elephant National Park
34 Verified records at Addo Elephant National Park
January Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's active during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

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. Like others of its genus, the males puff out the loose rump and lower back feathers in display, to assume a remarkable ball-like appearance. They draw attention to themselves by their varied repertoire of whistling, clicking and rasping sounds. Their specific name cubla, originated with Francois Levaillant, who derived it from a native southern African name, where the "c" is an onomatopoeic click sound. Wikipedia →

5–10% of wildlife watchers report a Black-backed Puffback sighting in Addo Elephant National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Addo Elephant National Park

Bokmakierie
LC

Bokmakierie

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Telophorus zeylonus

50–60% · Likely
Southern Boubou
LC

Southern Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius ferrugineus

50–60% · Likely
Southern Tchagra
LC

Southern Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra tchagra

10–20% · With luck
Gray-headed Bushshrike
LC

Gray-headed Bushshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malaconotus blanchoti

<5% · Rare
Black-crowned Tchagra
LC

Black-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra senegalus

Insufficient data
Southern Fiscal
LC Endemic

Southern Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius collaris

60–70% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

50–60% · Likely
Cape Wagtail
LC

Cape Wagtail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Motacilla capensis

50–60% · Likely
Red-shouldered Glossy-starling
LC

Red-shouldered Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis nitens

50–60% · Likely
Cape Crow
LC

Cape Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus capensis

50–60% · Likely
Pied Crow
LC

Pied Crow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Corvus albus

50–60% · Likely
Sombre Greenbul
LC

Sombre Greenbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Andropadus importunus

50–60% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
<5
Mar
<5
Apr
5–10
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
5–10
Oct
<5
Nov
5–10
Dec

☀️ When They're Spotted

Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)

☀️Diurnal
☀️🌙🌙12am6am12pm6pm12am

Global Distribution

Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.

where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is)  ·  parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Probability
1 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
60–70%
2 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
50–60%
3 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
50–60%
4 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
50–60%
5 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
50–60%
6 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
40–50%
7 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
40–50%
8 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
30–40%
9 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
30–40%
10 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
30–40%
11 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
30–40%
12 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
13 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
30–40%
14 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
30–40%
15 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
16 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
17 Garden Route National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
18 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
19 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
20–30%
20 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
20–30%
21 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
20–30%
22 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
20–30%
23 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
10–20%
24 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
25 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
26 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
27 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
10–20%
28 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
10–20%
29 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
10–20%
30 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
10–20%
31 Selous Game Reserve 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
32 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
5–10%
33 Addo Elephant National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
5–10%
34 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
5–10%
35 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
36 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
<5%
37 Nyungwe National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
Insufficient data
38 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Black-backed Puffback in Addo Elephant National Park?

About 6% of wildlife watchers report a Black-backed Puffback sighting in Addo Elephant National Park, based on 34 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black-backed Puffback in Addo Elephant National Park?

January has the highest sighting rate for Black-backed Puffback in Addo Elephant National Park in our monthly data.

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