Photo: John Gerrard Keulemans / Public domain (Wikimedia Commons)
Red-backed Mousebird
Colius castanotus
Red-backed Mousebird (Colius castanotus) — Unusual & Unique Birds of Africa.
The Red-backed Mousebird (Colius castanotus) is a member of the Coliidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 56.5 g. The IUCN Red List lists it as Least Concern.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Widespread and abundant — not currently at risk.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Coliiformes
- Family Coliidae Mousebirds
- Genus Colius
- Species castanotus
Quick facts
- Weight
- 56.5 g
- Diet
- Fruit-eaters
- Family
- Coliidae
- Order
- Coliiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
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Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Red-backed Mousebird is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Red-backed Mousebird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Red-backed Mousebird (Colius castanotus) is a member of the Coliidae family, within the order Coliiformes. It occurs naturally across Africa. Its distribution covers AF w Angola.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 56.5 g, with a wing length of about 9.6 cm and a tail of around 22.4 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
The species has a mapped global range of roughly 289,000 km².
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Red-backed Mousebird?
The Red-backed Mousebird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 56.5 g.
Where does the Red-backed Mousebird live?
The Red-backed Mousebird is found across Africa with a range covering AF w Angola, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Red-backed Mousebird belong to?
The Red-backed Mousebird (Colius castanotus) belongs to the Coliidae family, in the order Coliiformes.
What does the Red-backed Mousebird eat?
The Red-backed Mousebird is a frugivore — it feeds mainly on fruit.
Does the Red-backed Mousebird migrate?
The Red-backed Mousebird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Red-backed Mousebird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
How large is the Red-backed Mousebird's range?
The Red-backed Mousebird has a mapped global range of about 289,000 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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