Black-backed butcherbird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Black-backed butcherbird |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Cracticus
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| Species: |
mentalis
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The black-backed butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) is a cool bird that belongs to the Artamidae family. You can find it living in southern New Guinea and the Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, Australia.
Contents
About the Black-backed Butcherbird
Discovery and Name
Italian explorers and naturalists Tommaso Salvadori and Luigi D'Albertis first described this bird in 1876. Its scientific name, Cracticus mentalis, sounds like "mental noisy bird." But the word mentalis actually refers to its chin, not its mind!
Butcherbird Family Tree
The black-backed butcherbird is part of a group of birds called butcherbirds. There are about six or seven types of butcherbirds in the Cracticus genus. This bird is closely related to the grey and silver-backed butcherbirds. They all share a common ancestor from about five million years ago.
Sometimes, people call it the white-throated butcherbird. This helps tell it apart from the pied butcherbird, which has a black throat.
Bird Families: Artamidae
For a long time, butcherbirds were in their own family. But in 1985, scientists noticed how closely related they were to woodswallows. So, they decided to put them together in the same family, called Artamidae.
What Does a Black-backed Butcherbird Look Like?
Size and Shape
Like other butcherbirds, this bird is quite strong and sturdy. It has a fairly large head and short wings and legs. It grows to be about 25 cm (10 in) long. Birds living in Australia are a bit smaller than those in New Guinea.
Colors and Features
The black-backed butcherbird is mostly black and white.
- It has a black head, lower back, and wings.
- Its neck (nape), throat, and belly are white.
- The edges of its wing feathers are white.
- Its rump and the base of its tail are grey.
- It has dark brown eyes and grey legs.
- Its bill is a pale bluish-grey with a black tip. The bill also has a noticeable hook at the end.
Young Butcherbirds
Young black-backed butcherbirds look a bit messy. Their feathers are a mix of brown and white, but they have the same general pattern as the adults. Their bill is also darker.
Where Do Black-backed Butcherbirds Live?
Location
You can find the black-backed butcherbird in two main areas:
- In Australia, they live in the Cape York Peninsula, north of the Palmer River.
- In New Guinea, they live in the Trans-Fly region and around Port Moresby.
Their Home
These birds like to live in savannah areas and open woodlands. They can be found at heights of up to 600 m (2000 ft) above sea level.
How Do Black-backed Butcherbirds Behave?
Unique Habits
Sometimes, black-backed butcherbirds have been seen anting. This is when a bird rubs ants on its feathers. Scientists think they do this to help clean their feathers or to get rid of parasites.
What They Eat
The black-backed butcherbird is a meat-eater, also known as a carnivore. It hunts and eats small lizards and other small birds.
Building a Home and Raising Chicks
Black-backed butcherbirds build their nests in the fork of a tree. They use dry sticks to make the main structure. Inside, they line the nest with softer materials like dried grass, bark, and leaves to create a cozy, cup-shaped space.
A female butcherbird usually lays two to four eggs, but most often three. The eggs are oval-shaped, about 27 mm long by 20 mm wide. They have brown spots over a base color that can be pale greyish-green, brownish-green, or even red.
