Swamp Boubou

The Swamp Boubou, or Gabon Boubou, is a striking bird of the Malaconotidae family, cloaked in a deep blue-black plumage with a lustrous sheen. These large passerines, measuring between 23 to 25 cm, boast a pale rump adorned with concealed white spots, black wings with white stripes, and a contrasting pure white underbelly. The dark brown iris, black bill and palate, and slate-blue legs and feet complete their distinctive appearance.

Identification Tips

To identify the Swamp Boubou, look for its larger size, slender bill, and the immaculate white underparts. The juveniles can be recognized by their dusky barring on the underside and buffy-tipped upperparts. When in the presence of the Tropical Boubou, note the Swamp Boubou's unique vocalizations and more slender bill as key distinguishing features.

Habitat

The Swamp Boubou thrives in a variety of habitats, including regenerating forests, savannah thickets, coastal scrublands, mangroves, and ravine forests along the Angolan escarpment. In southern regions, they are particularly drawn to floodplain systems, favoring dense riparian vegetation, reedbed edges, papyrus stands, and water fig clumps on islands.

Distribution

This species is found across a swath of Central Africa, from Angola and Botswana to Cameroon, the Republic of the Congo, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Behaviour

Swamp Boubous are monogamous and territorial throughout the year. They exhibit a diverse foraging behavior, ranging from ground level to the upper canopy, and are known to hawk insects or sift through ground debris. Their duets, initiated by a soft guttural sound, are a key aspect of their pair bonding, with the male's short whistle complemented by the female's harsh, ratchet-like response.

Song & Calls

The Swamp Boubou's vocal repertoire includes a duet characterized by a soft guttural sound, a short whistle from the male, and a ratchet-like kick-ick from the female. At dusk, they emit harsh clicking sounds and may augment their vocals with wing fripping when excited. During territorial threats or courtship, they fluff out their rump feathers.

Breeding

Breeding can occur at any time of the year, with a preference for spring in southern regions. Their nests are shallow cups of loosely woven twigs, situated 2 to 3 meters above ground. The pale cream or greenish eggs are speckled with rufous, and parasitism by the black cuckoo has been noted. Moulting follows the breeding period.

Similar Species

The Swamp Boubou is most similar to L. major major, but can be differentiated by its white underpart plumage and distinct vocalizations.

Diet and Feeding

Their diet consists primarily of arthropods, insects, and worms, with the occasional small fruit. They employ various foraging techniques, from ground foraging to hawking insects in flight.

Conservation status

The Swamp Boubou is currently listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating a stable population without significant threats to its survival.

Races

Three recognized races of the Swamp Boubou exist, varying in size, wing pattern, and range. The "Gabon Boubou" (L. b. bicolor) is the smallest and darkest, while the "Okavango Boubou" (L. b. sticturus) is the largest and exhibits the most white in its wings, sometimes with white-tipped tail feathers.