Photo: markaharper1 / CC BY-SA 2.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Black-backed Butcherbird
Cracticus mentalis
Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Australia & Oceania.
Found across 3 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) is a member of the Artamidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 77 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 Passeriformes
- Family Artamidae Woodswallows, Butcherbirds & Allies
- Genus Cracticus
- Species mentalis
Where it lives
South-central, southeastern New Guinea and Cape York Pen. (northeastern Australia)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 77 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Artamidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Black-backed Butcherbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of semi-open woodland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Black-backed Butcherbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) belongs to the Artamidae family of the order Passeriformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU sc, se New Guinea and Cape York Pen. (ne Australia).
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 77 g, with a wing length of about 14.1 cm and a tail of around 9.9 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 219,000 km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Black-backed Butcherbird?
The Black-backed Butcherbird is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 77 g.
Where does the Black-backed Butcherbird live?
The Black-backed Butcherbird is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU sc, se New Guinea and Cape York Pen. (ne Australia), where it favours woodland, forest and well-treed country.
What family does the Black-backed Butcherbird belong to?
The Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) belongs to the Artamidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Black-backed Butcherbird eat?
The Black-backed Butcherbird is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Black-backed Butcherbird migrate?
The Black-backed Butcherbird is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Black-backed Butcherbird endangered?
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
What sound does the Black-backed Butcherbird make?
1 real field recording of the Black-backed Butcherbird — including its song — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Black-backed Butcherbird's range?
The Black-backed Butcherbird has a mapped global range of about 219,000 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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