Tropical Boubou
Laniarius major
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMalaconotidae (Bushshrikes and Allies)
- GenusLaniarius (Boubous and Gonoleks)
- SpeciesLaniarius major (Tropical Boubou)
The tropical boubou or bell shrike (Laniarius aethiopicus) is a medium-sized passerine bird of sub-Saharan Africa. This very diverse "species" with its numerous subspecies and morphs has since long posed a taxonomic problem, and recent research suggests it is a cryptic species complex that has now been split into several species. Wikipedia →
30–40% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Boubou sighting in Selous Game Reserve, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Selous Game Reserve
Zanzibar Boubou
Laniarius sublacteus
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Tchagra australis
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Black-crowned Tchagra
Tchagra senegalus
Gray-headed Bushshrike
Malaconotus blanchoti
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Purple-banded Sunbird
Cinnyris bifasciatus
African Golden-Weaver
Ploceus subaureus
Green-backed Camaroptera
Camaroptera brachyura
African Pied Wagtail
Motacilla aguimp
Collared Sunbird
Hedydipna collaris
Wire-tailed Swallow
Hirundo smithii
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
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
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Tropical Boubou in Selous Game Reserve?
About 37% of wildlife watchers report a Tropical Boubou sighting in Selous Game Reserve, based on 21 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Tropical Boubou in Selous Game Reserve?
April has the highest sighting rate for Tropical Boubou in Selous Game Reserve in our monthly data.