4-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - GREEN BACKED CAMAROPTERA (Camaroptera brachyura)

The green-backed camaroptera (Camaroptera brachyura), also known as the bleating camaroptera, is a diminutive bird, a member of the Cisticolidae family. It is recognized by its green upperparts, olive wings, and whitish-grey underparts. Both sexes exhibit similar plumage, while juveniles display a paler yellow on the breast. This species measures approximately 11.5 cm in length.

When attempting to identify the green-backed camaroptera, look for its short tail, a feature hinted at by its specific epithet 'brachyura', derived from Ancient Greek meaning "short-tailed". The bird's green back and olive wings contrast with its lighter underparts, aiding in its identification amidst dense vegetation.

This elusive passerine prefers to remain low in dense cover, making it a challenge to spot. It is a bird that thrives in the undergrowth, often concealed by foliage.

The green-backed camaroptera is a resident breeder throughout Africa, south of the Sahara Desert. Its presence spans a range of subspecies across various regions, from Kenya and Tanzania to South Africa.

The green-backed camaroptera is known for its skulking nature. It constructs its nest by ingeniously binding large leaves together within a bush, creating a concealed grass nest for its clutch, typically comprising two or three eggs.

The vocalizations of the green-backed camaroptera are distinctive, and its song has been recorded in the Cape Province of South Africa. Its calls contribute to the rich tapestry of sounds that one may encounter in its natural habitat.

As a resident breeder, the green-backed camaroptera binds leaves to craft a hidden nest low in a bush, where it lays a normal clutch of two or three eggs.

Recent studies have suggested that the green-backed camaroptera may be conspecific with the grey-backed camaroptera, indicating that they could be the same species. Observers should take note of the subtle differences in plumage and locality when differentiating between the two.

Insectivorous by nature, the green-backed camaroptera forages for insects within its dense habitat, contributing to its role in the ecosystem as a pest controller.

The IUCN Red List has classified the green-backed camaroptera as Least Concern, indicating that, for now, this species does not face immediate threats to its survival.

3-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - GREEN BACKED CAMAROPTERA (Camaroptera brachyura)

The Green-backed Camaroptera (Camaroptera brachyura) is a small, insect-eating African bird known for its "bleating" alarm call, distinctive tail-cocking, and preference for dense thickets near water in savanna and woodland; it builds unique ball-shaped nests from leaves and spiderwebs, often parasitized by cuckoos, and is common but secretive, inhabiting undergrowth and forest edges across sub-Saharan Africa. 

Appearance: Small, rotund, wren-like, with olive-green wings, gray-white underparts, red eyes, and a short tail it frequently cocks.

Name Origin: Brachyura means "short-tailed" in Greek, though the tail is prominent with its movements.

Habitat: Prefers moist bush, riverine woodland, forest edges, and thickets, often near water, across much of Africa.

Diet: Primarily insects (caterpillars, beetles, ants), foraging low to the ground or in leaf litter.

Vocalization: Famous for its nasal "meehrrp" alarm (like a bleating lamb) and a strident "strik-strik-strik" song, sometimes with bill snapping.

Nesting: Builds a unique ball-shaped nest of leaves bound with spiderwebs, often low in shrubs, and both parents incubate and feed chicks.

Behavior: Forages alone or in pairs, gleaning insects and flushing prey, often mimicking tail-cocking of wrens.

Brood Parasitism: Frequently targeted by the African emerald cuckoo.

Variations: Sometimes split into "green-backed" (eastern) and "grey-backed" (rest of Africa) forms, though debated. 

2-6-2019 LINYANTI CAMP, BOTSWANA - GREEN BACKED CAMAROPTERA (Camaroptera brachyura)

The green-backed camaroptera (Camaroptera brachyura), also known as the bleating camaroptera, is a small bird in the family Cisticolidae. This bird is a resident breeder in Africa south of the Sahara Desert. Recent studies suggest this species and the grey-backed camaroptera may be the same species.

This skulking passerine is typically found low in dense cover. The green-backed camaroptera binds large leaves together low in a bush and builds a grass nest within the leaves. The normal clutch is two or three eggs.

These 11.5 cm long warblers have green upperparts. The wings are olive and the underparts whitish grey. The sexes are similar, but juveniles are paler yellow on the breast.

Like most members in the group, green-backed camaroptera is insectivorous.

The green-backed camaroptera was described by the French ornithologist Louis Pierre Vieillot in 1821 under the binomial name Sylvia brachyura. The type locality is the Cape of Good Hope. The specific epithet brachyura is from the Ancient Greek brakhus for "short" and -ouros for "-tailed".