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Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) Size: 25-28 cm Body mass: 75-100 g (race "kempi")

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Similar species

Description     Classification     Distribution     Sightings     Photos     Breeding     Nest     Eggs     Behaviour     Food     Call/s

Physical description Click here for a physical description Black-backed Butcherbirds are small butcherbirds. The two sexes look alike. They have a black cap and sides of the head, a white throat patch and sides of the neck and a white front. The back is black, with a narrow white collar. The wings have conspicuous white patches and outer edge lining. The uppertail is black, with a white terminal band. The eyes have dark-brown irises. The long, conspicuously hooked bill is grey, with a dark-grey tip. The short legs and feet are grey. Juveniles are brownish-grey where adults are black, while immature birds are dark-grey where adults are black.

Taxonomy, classification See Black Butcherbird at Wikipedia .

Range, habitat, finding this species Click here for information on habitat and range The overall distribution of this species can be assessed, and specific locations where birds have been spotted can be found, based on individual sighting reports submitted by birdwatchers to ebird.org . The global distribution of the Black-backed Butcherbird is available HERE . Black-backed Butcherbirds populate southern New Guinea far north-eastern Australia. Race "kempi" is endemic to Australia. It is found on Cape York peninsula, as far southward as the Palmer River and Cooktown, QLD. Black-backed Butcherbirds have a preference for open eucalypt forest and woodland.

Sightings Click here for sighting information Race "kempi" M. Eaton reports spotting a Black-backed Butcherbird, race "kempi", at the Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in August 2019. Another was found at Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, in June 2024. All sighting and photographic information presented on this page has been kindly contributed by M. Eaton.

Photos

Race "kempi"

ADULT

Sex unknown

Frontal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, June 2024]

Frontal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, June 2024]

Frontal/ventral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, June 2024]

Near-frontal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-lateral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Lateral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking backwards (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Near-dorsal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking sideways (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, June 2024]

Dorsal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird looking backwards (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Artemis Station, Cape York peninsula, QLD, June 2024]

Dorsal view of a Black-backed Butcherbird (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Behaviour

Social behaviour: Territorial

Mobility: Sedentary

Elementary unit: Solitary/pair

Food, Diet

Lateral view of a Black-backed Butcherbird with its prey (photo courtesy of M. Eaton)
[Musgrave Roadhouse, Cape York peninsula, QLD, August 2019]

Call(s)/Song

For this species we have recorded the following call(s)/song. The interpretation of their meaning is our own; comments and suggestions for improvement are welcome.

bbbutch_me_20240618.m4a	mentalis (Cape York peninsula, QLD)	Territorial calls(?)	© ME
bbbutch_me_20240618_2.m4a	mentalis (Cape York peninsula, QLD)	Various	© ME

More Black-backed Butcherbird sound recordings are available at xeno-canto.org .

These pages are largely based on our own observations and those of our contributors. The structure of these bird pages is explained HERE. For more salient facts on any bird species please refer to a field guide.

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