Grey-backed fiscal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grey-backed fiscal |
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_male.jpg) |
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| male Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lanius
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| Species: |
excubitoroides
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The grey-backed fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is a type of bird. It belongs to the Laniidae family, which are often called shrikes. You can find this bird in many countries in Africa. These include Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Mauritania, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. This bird likes to live in dry savanna areas. It also lives in warm, dry lowland grasslands.
Contents
What the Grey-backed Fiscal Looks Like
This is a fairly large shrike. It grows to about 25 cm (10 in) long.
- Males: The male bird has a grey top of its head. It has a white stripe above its eye. This stripe is called a supercilium. It also has a big black mask on its face. Its upper body is grey. The lower back (rump) is white. Its wings are dark, almost black. There is a clear white patch on its wings. You can see this patch easily when the bird flies. Its long tail has a white base and a black tip. The belly and the underside of the tail are white.
- Females: The female looks much like the male. However, she has some chestnut-colored patches on her sides. You can see these patches when she shows off or cleans her feathers.
- Young Birds: Young grey-backed fiscals are brownish. Their wings and tail are brown too. They have many grey stripes all over their body.
Grey-backed Fiscal Behavior and Life Cycle
The grey-backed fiscal is a friendly bird. It often lives in groups. You can find it in wooded grasslands. It also likes gardens and damp acacia bushes.
You will often see these birds in pairs or small groups. They sit on tree stumps, wires, or branches. They often flutter their wings and wave their tails. They also make loud, chattering sounds.
Nesting and Reproduction
These birds work together to raise their young. This is called cooperative breeding. They build their nests high up in trees. Nests can be as high as 10 m (33 ft) off the ground. They build them near the tree trunk or on outer branches.
The female bird builds the nest. The male might bring her nesting materials. He also brings food for her while she builds. A female usually lays about four eggs. The female sits on the eggs to keep them warm. This is called incubation. It lasts for about fourteen days. The young birds stay in the nest for about twenty more days after hatching.
Conservation Status
The grey-backed fiscal lives across a very large area. There are many of these birds in total. It is a common bird. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) checks on animals. They have decided that the grey-backed fiscal is a "least concern" species. This means it is not in danger of disappearing.
