Exploring Pigeon Valley: The Black-backed Puffback

This is the 78th article in an ongoing series that highlights the riches of Pigeon Valley, the urban nature reserve in the heart of Glenwood. The focus of this article is on the Black-backed Puffback.

My attention was caught by three very active Puffbacks in the trees at the reservoir. Two of them were males displaying their courtship behaviour, which includes displaying a remarkable gleaming white ‘snowball’ on its back. I was so impressed by this ability that, in my early birding days, I was overheard telling someone it was a ‘Puffball’.

This particular male was distracted from its romantic pursuits by a mouth-watering caterpillar – I am sure there is a message for us somewhere in this! These are common birds in Pigeon Valley, and one constantly hears the loud, explosive call.

ALSO READ: Exploring Pigeon Valley: The White-eared Barbet

Occasionally there is the rackety alarm call or a very subdued, even tentative, contact call that is easily confused with that of a small finch.

Puffbacks glean constantly through the leaves of the forest to find the insects that are their favoured repast. Puffbacks are in the same genus (Malaconotidae) as the bushshrikes, tchagras and boubous, and the similarities become clear as you get to know this range of species. In Pigeon Valley we have the Southern Boubou and Puffbacks, but we get visited occasionally by such species as Olive Bushshrike and Southern Tchagra.

Crispin Hemson chairs the Friends of Pigeon Valley, a group that undertakes clearing of alien plants, keeps records of bird and mammal sightings and alerts management to any problems.

The Friends have a monthly walk at 7.30am on the second Saturday of each month. Email: friendsofpigeonvalley1@gmail.com.

Do you want to receive news alerts via Telegram? Send us a message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 060 532 5535.

You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

PLEASE NOTE: If you have signed up for our news alerts you need to save the Berea Mail Telegram number as a contact to your phone, otherwise you will not receive our alerts

Here’s where you can download Telegram on Android or Apple.