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 Selous Game Reserve
5 Verified records at Selous Game Reserve
April 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 Selous Game Reserve, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

Closest Relatives at Selous Game Reserve

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
Black-crowned Tchagra
LC

Black-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra senegalus

Insufficient data
Gray-headed Bushshrike
LC

Gray-headed Bushshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malaconotus blanchoti

Insufficient data
Zanzibar Boubou
LC

Zanzibar Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius sublacteus

Insufficient data
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

70–80% · Very likely
Purple-banded Sunbird
LC

Purple-banded Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Cinnyris bifasciatus

30–40% · Possible
African Golden-Weaver
LC

African Golden-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Ploceus subaureus

30–40% · Possible
Green-backed Camaroptera
LC

Green-backed Camaroptera

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Camaroptera brachyura

30–40% · Possible
African Pied Wagtail
LC

African Pied Wagtail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Motacilla aguimp

30–40% · Possible
Collared Sunbird
LC

Collared Sunbird

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hedydipna collaris

30–40% · Possible
Wire-tailed Swallow
LC

Wire-tailed Swallow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Hirundo smithii

20–30% · Possible

📅 Monthly Probability

5–10
Jan
5–10
Feb
5–10
Mar
10–20
Apr
10–20
May
5–10
Jun
5–10
Jul
5–10
Aug
5–10
Sep
5–10
Oct
5–10
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 Selous Game Reserve?

About 9% of wildlife watchers report a Black-backed Puffback sighting in Selous Game Reserve, based on 5 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Black-backed Puffback in Selous Game Reserve?

April has the highest sighting rate for Black-backed Puffback in Selous Game Reserve in our monthly data.

← Back to Selous Game Reserve