Cover image: White-backed Mousebird by Ryan Tippett – BirdPix 103558 White-backed Mousebird
Identification
The White-backed Mousebird has a grey head, prominent crest, and grey upper parts and breast. It has a white stripe on its back which is flanked by two broad black stripes and a dark red, or maroon, transverse band at the base of its tail. The white stripe is not visible unless the wings are at least partly open. White-backed Mousebirds have bright pink legs and feet and a whitish bill with a black tip.
It has a whistled zwee-wewit call. It also has a buzzing or crackling call that might be for alarm or keeping in contact with the group.
There are two other species of mousebird in southern Africa, the Red-faced Mousebird and the Speckled Mousebird.
Distribution
It is a Near-endemic to southern Africa, occurring from south-western Angola to Namibia, western and central South Africa and southern Botswana. In the SABAP2 map below the blue and green squares represent the core of the White-backed Mousebird’s range in South Africa.
Habitat
The White-backed Mousebird generally prefers riverine habitat in sparse woodland areas. It can also be found in farmyards, gardens and orchards. In the Western Cape it is quite common in Port Jackson Acacia saligna and Rooikrans Acacia cyclops thickets.
Behaviour
The White-backed Mousebird is a frugivore which subsists on fruits, berries, leaves, seeds and nectar. Its fruit-eating habits are an important factor in spreading the seeds of indigenous berry-producing plants such as Halleria lucida.
When breeding, the nest is built by both sexes, consisting of a small, shallow bowl of twigs, leaves and grass. It is often lined with fluffy seeds, down, and occasionally sheep’s wool. Egg-laying season is year-round, peaking from September-October.
White-backed Mousebirds are very social birds. During the day, they feed together in small groups and engage in allopreening. They also roost in groups at night. Their perching habits can be quite amusing; almost hanging from their legs rather than perching normally like most birds. It’s very common for them to grip different upright branches of a plant with each leg.
Further Resources
Species text from the first Southern African Bird Atlas Project (SABAP1), 1997.
Virtual Museum (BirdPix > Search VM > By Scientific or Common Name).
More common names: Witkruismuisvoël (Afrikaans); Letsôrô (Tswana); Coliou à dos blanc (French); Weißrücken-mausvogel (German); Witstuitmuisvogel (Dutch).
A list of bird species in this format is available here.
Recommended citation format: Loftie-Eaton M, Daniel KA 2022. White-backed Mousebird Colius colius. Bird Feeder Project. Biodiversity and Development Institute. Available online at http://thebdi.org/2022/11/11/white-backed-mousebird-colius-colius/
