Photo: Charles J. Sharp / CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Grey-backed Fiscal
Lanius excubitoroides
Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) — Songbirds & Perching Birds of Africa.
Found across 4 guides in our atlas — open any for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is a member of the Laniidae family found in Africa. Adults weigh 53.7 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 Laniidae Shrikes
- Genus Lanius
- Species excubitoroides
Quick facts
- Weight
- 53.7 g
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Laniidae
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Least Concern
Least Concern
Least Concern
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Grey-backed Fiscal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of open scrub and shrubland, it spends much of its time perched in trees and shrubs.
Migration
The Grey-backed Fiscal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) is a species of bird in the Laniidae family, part of the order Passeriformes. Its range spans Africa. Its distribution covers AF c, ne.
It is a medium-sized bird. Adults weighs around 53.7 g, with a wing length of about 11.6 cm and a tail of around 13.5 cm.
The IUCN Red List currently assesses it as Least Concern. That category covers species that remain widespread and reasonably abundant in the wild.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 2.5 million km².
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Grey-backed Fiscal?
The Grey-backed Fiscal is a medium-sized bird that weighs around 53.7 g.
Where does the Grey-backed Fiscal live?
The Grey-backed Fiscal is found across Africa with a range covering AF c, ne, where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Grey-backed Fiscal belong to?
The Grey-backed Fiscal (Lanius excubitoroides) belongs to the Laniidae family, in the order Passeriformes.
What does the Grey-backed Fiscal eat?
The Grey-backed Fiscal is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Grey-backed Fiscal migrate?
The Grey-backed Fiscal is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Grey-backed Fiscal 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 Grey-backed Fiscal make?
1 real field recording of the Grey-backed Fiscal — 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 Grey-backed Fiscal's range?
The Grey-backed Fiscal has a mapped global range of about 2.5 million 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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Guides for this bird
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