Swamp boubou facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Swamp boubou |
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| A pair in Botswana | |
| Conservation status | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Malaconotidae |
| Genus: | Laniarius |
| Species: |
L. bicolor
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| Binomial name | |
| Laniarius bicolor (Hartlaub, 1857)
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| Synonyms | |
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The swamp boubou (Laniarius bicolor) is a cool bird also called the Gabon boubou. It belongs to the bushshrike family. You can find these birds in western and southern Central Africa.
In the northern parts of its home, it likes to live in thick savannah bushes. But in the south, it prefers places near rivers and swamps, which is how it got its name! These birds are known for their amazing duets. A male and female boubou will sing together to stay connected.
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Where Swamp Boubous Live
The swamp boubou lives in several countries in Africa. These include Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the DRC, Gabon, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
They like different kinds of places to live. You can find them in forests that are growing back, or in thick bushes in savannah areas. They also live in coastal scrubland and mangrove forests. In the southern parts of Africa, they mostly stick to areas near rivers and floodplains. Along these rivers and swamps, they like dense, tangled plants. They also live at the edges of reedbeds, in papyrus stands, or in clumps of water fig trees on islands.
What Swamp Boubous Look Like
Male and female swamp boubous look very similar. They are large birds, about 23 to 25 centimeters (9 to 10 inches) long. Their upper parts are a shiny deep blue-black color. Their long, fluffy feathers on their back have hidden white spots. This makes their back look pale.
Their wings are black with white stripes. The feathers on their belly and chest are pure white. They have dark brown eyes and a black beak. Their legs and feet are a slate-blue color.
Young boubous look a bit different. They have light stripes on their underside. Their upper feathers have buffy tips and stripes. As they get older, they become duller than adult birds. Their wing feathers have buffy tips, and their beaks are browner.
You can tell them apart from a similar bird, the tropical boubou, by their larger size and thinner beak. Also, their pure white underside and unique calls help identify them.
Swamp Boubou Habits
Swamp boubous are birds that stay with one partner for life. They also defend their territory all year round. They look for food from the ground all the way up to the tops of trees. They often work their way up a tree, then glide down to another plant nearby.
They also catch insects in the air. Sometimes, they even flick away leaves and dirt on the ground, just like a thrush bird does. Their diet mainly consists of insects, spiders, and worms. Occasionally, they will also eat small fruits.
Pairs of swamp boubous love to sing duets together. One bird will start with a soft, gurgling sound. Then, the male gives a short whistle. The female quickly replies with a harsh, rattling sound, like a "kick-ick." They also make harsh clicking sounds when they go to their roosting spot at dusk. When they are excited, they might even make sounds with their wings. If they feel their territory is threatened, or during courtship, they fluff out their back feathers.
Nesting and Life Cycle
Swamp boubous build their nests far apart from each other. They can breed at any time of the year. However, in the southern parts of their range, they mostly breed in the spring.
Their nest is a shallow cup made of loosely woven twigs. They usually place it about 2 to 3 meters (6 to 10 feet) off the ground. They often hide it in a tangle of plants or in a bougainvillea bush.
A female boubou usually lays two eggs. The eggs are about 23 by 20 millimeters (0.9 by 0.8 inches) in size. They are pale cream or greenish in color and have light reddish-brown speckles. Sometimes, a black cuckoo might lay its eggs in a boubou's nest, making the boubou raise the cuckoo's chicks. After the breeding season is over, the boubous will shed their old feathers and grow new ones.
Different Types of Swamp Boubous
There are three main types, or "races," of swamp boubous:
- L. b. bicolor (the "Gabon boubou")
- L. b. guttatus
- This type is found from the Republic of the Congo to Lubango, Angola.
- L. b. sticturus (the "Okavango boubou")
- This type lives near the Kunene river, Kavango river, and delta. It is also found in the upper Zambezi area. This is the largest type and has the most white on its wings. Sometimes, its tail feathers have white tips.
 | Madam C. J. Walker |
 | Janet Emerson Bashen |
 | Annie Turnbo Malone |
 | Maggie L. Walker |
