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

Black-backed Puffback

Dryoscopus cubla

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
5–10% · Rare
overall probability at Lake Nakuru National Park
42 Verified records at Lake Nakuru National Park
September 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 Lake Nakuru National Park, based on 42 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Lake Nakuru National Park

Northern Puffback
LC

Northern Puffback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryoscopus gambensis

5–10% · With luck
Tropical Boubou

Tropical Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius major

30–40% · Possible
Brown-crowned Tchagra
LC

Brown-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra australis

10–20% · With luck
Brubru
LC

Brubru

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nilaus afer

5–10% · Rare
Gray-headed Bushshrike
LC

Gray-headed Bushshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malaconotus blanchoti

<5% · Rare
Black-crowned Tchagra
LC

Black-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra senegalus

<5% · Rare
Slate-colored Boubou
LC

Slate-colored Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius funebris

<5% · Rare
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

70–80% · Very likely
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
LC

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus bengalus

60–70% · Likely
Northern Anteater-Chat
LC

Northern Anteater-Chat

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Myrmecocichla aethiops

60–70% · Likely
Greater Blue-eared Starling
LC

Greater Blue-eared Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis chalybaeus

60–70% · Likely
Grey-backed Fiscal
LC

Grey-backed Fiscal

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lanius excubitoroides

50–60% · Likely

📅 Monthly Probability

<5
Jan
5–10
Feb
<5
Mar
5–10
Apr
<5
May
<5
Jun
<5
Jul
5–10
Aug
10–20
Sep
<5
Oct
<5
Nov
<5
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 Lake Nakuru National Park?

About 5% of wildlife watchers report a Black-backed Puffback sighting in Lake Nakuru National Park, based on 42 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black-backed Puffback in Lake Nakuru National Park?

September has the highest sighting rate for Black-backed Puffback in Lake Nakuru National Park in our monthly data.

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