Pringle's Puffback
ID Features: A small bushshrike in which males and females are strikingly different. Males are black and gray on the upperparts, whitish below. Females are gray-brown on the upperparts, pale gray below. Similar to Black-backed and Northern Puffbacks, but noticeably smaller, with a pale base to the bill. The most common vocalization is an explosive, repeated "kweea", but this species also gives scolding and ratcheting calls.
Habitat: Local and generally uncommon in dry savanna and thornscrub. Usually in pairs.
Locations: Kenya
Black-backed Puffback
ID Features: A small, canopy-loving black-and-white shrike with a fiery red eye. When excited, males can raise fluffy white feathers on the rump to resemble a puffball. The sexes differ, with males clean-cut and females duller and more cream-and-gray in coloration. Black-backed Puffbacks are often detected by their characteristic song: a loud click followed by a whistled "wheeeoo", the combination given repeatedly.
Habitat: Singles and pairs frequently join mixed-species flocks foraging agilely for insects, working the canopy of dense broadleaf woodland and riverine, lowland, and montane forest.
Locations: Kenya, Angola, Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia
Northern Puffback
ID Features: Mid-sized bushshrike in which males and females are very different. Males are mostly black and white, with gray on the rump and shoulder. Females are brown on the back and buffy below. The most common vocalization is a rising "kyeeewu", but also gives scolding and ratcheting calls. Males separated from Black-backed Puffback by the gray rump and shoulder. Females separated from Pringle's Puffback by their larger size and all-dark bill.
Habitat: Found in variety of savanna habitats, plus woodland, mangroves, and along forest edge. Generally common and conspicuous bird that often joins mixed-species flocks.
Locations: Kenya, Uganda, Ghana
