Brubru

The Brubru, a small passerine bird belonging to the bushshrike family, Malaconotidae, is a distinctive avian species found across Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the sole representative of the genus Nilaus, showcasing a striking plumage that varies between the sexes and across its range.

Identification Tips

Adult males of the nominate subspecies, N. a. afer, are characterized by a black crown, a contrasting white supercilium and forehead, and a pronounced black eyestripe. Their back is adorned with a black and tawny strip, while the rump features a mottled black pattern. The tail is predominantly black with white tips and edges on the outer feathers, and the wings are black with a notable buff shoulder stripe. The underparts are a clean white with rufous flanks. Females present a duller and browner plumage with streaking on the underparts and less pronounced rufous flanks. Juveniles are mottled brown, buff, and white above, with buff edgings to the wing and tail feathers, and their underparts are whitish with brown barring.

Habitat

The Brubru inhabits dry open woodlands, with its specific environment varying geographically. The northern races and the southern African subspecies N. a. Brubru are typically found in acacia and broadleaved woodlands, while subspecies in the belt from northeastern Angola to northern Mozambique prefer Brachystegia miombo woodlands.

Distribution

This species is widespread in most of Sub-Saharan Africa, with various subspecies adapted to different woodland habitats across the continent.

Behaviour

The Brubru is often observed alone or in pairs, exhibiting a restless yet unobtrusive behavior as it forages for insects in the canopy. It requires large trees for feeding and consequently maintains an unusually expansive territory for its size, often reaching 35 hectares. When insect prey is plentiful, the Brubru may join mixed-species feeding flocks.

Song & Calls

The Brubru's vocalizations include a duet where the male emits a soft "prrrrruuu" call, often responded to by the female's "eeeu."

Breeding

Breeding involves the construction of a flimsy cup nest made from twigs, grass, and spider webs, often decorated with lichens and well-camouflaged within a tree fork. The female typically lays two eggs, which are off-white, greenish, or greyish and blotched with grey or brown. Both parents share incubation duties for about 19 days until hatching, and the chicks fledge after another 22 days, remaining dependent for approximately eight weeks. Notably, this species may destroy its own nests, particularly when disturbed.

Similar Species

The Brubru can be distinguished from other bushshrikes by its unique plumage and size. Subspecies such as N. a. nigritemporalis, which lacks a supercilium and has a white shoulder patch, offer variations in appearance that can aid in identification.

Diet and Feeding

Insects form the primary component of the Brubru's diet, which it actively hunts in the tree canopy.

Conservation status

The Brubru is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List, indicating a stable population across its wide range.

Parasites

The Brubru plays host to two species of quill mites, Neoaulonastus malaconotus and Syringophiloidus nkaii, which are ectoparasites belonging to the Syringophilinae subfamily and known to infect several bushshrike species.