Silver-backed butcherbird
Species of bird
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The silver-backed butcherbird (Cracticus argenteus) is a small, shrike-like bird. It is almost identical to the grey butcherbird (C. torquatus) of which it considered by some authorities to be a subspecies, C. torquatus argenteus.[2]
| Silver-backed butcherbird | |
|---|---|
| |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Aves |
| Order: | Passeriformes |
| Family: | Artamidae |
| Subfamily: | Cracticinae |
| Genus: | Cracticus |
| Species: | C. argenteus |
| Binomial name | |
| Cracticus argenteus Gould, 1841 | |
| Synonyms | |
|
Cracticus torquatus argenteus | |
The species was first described by ornithologist John Gould in 1836 as Cracticus argenteus.[3]
Description
The silver-backed butcherbird looks similar to the Grey butcherbird, except its back is lighter and silvery.[4] This species is snappy and fearless, diving at humans and dogs near the nest. It may attack other birds like the spangled drongo or common koel.
