The Black-backed Butcherbird (Cracticus mentalis) replaces the Grey Butcherbird on the Cape York Peninsula and in southeastern New Guinea. Like the Gray, it lives in territorial pairs and hunts through the mid-strata of open eucalypt forests and woodland. Though it dives onto terrestrial prey from vantage perches, it also spends much time poking into cracks and crannies along branches and among the shrubbery. Black-backed Butcherbird’s diet is large insects, arboreal lizards, small birds, and nestlings are its main prey, but Acacia seeds are also picked up. To advertise territory, particularly during breeding, the partners sing antiphonally, each contributing part of the complete song in turn.
The size of a Black-backed Butcherbird is about 260–270 mm. Both sexes are alike or females are black-naped. Hence, the head, face, and chin are black with a white collar; the back and scapulars are black flecked white; the rump is white. Wings are black, broad white edging to coverts and white stripe through secondaries. The tail is black, and the outer feathers are tipped broadly white, from the throat to the undertail.
The eyes are brown, the bill is gray, the tip is darker, and the legs are dark grey. The immature bird is a little duller than adults; nape to mid-back is plain dusky. The call of a Black-backed Butcherbird is cawing in alarm and aggression. Therefore, the song of Black-backed Butcherbird is piping whistles and caws. The breeding and nesting seasons are June–November.
The bird builds a nest with roots; on a tree fork, 18–20 meters up. The clutch contains 3 or 4; green-gray eggs, that are sparingly spotted red-brown and slate; it is oval, about 28 x 20 mm. The distribution is from the Cape York Peninsula south to Palmer River. Also found in Papua New Guinea. There are 2 races, one in Australia. The Black-backed Butcherbird lives in woodland on the Cape York Peninsula. shallow cup of sticks, lined with grass.
Read More: Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis)
