White-backed Mousebird

Colius colius (Linnaeus, 1766)

Coliidae — Mousebirds

White-backed Mousebird, Colius colius, is a mousebird of southern Africa, breeding in Namibia, southern Botswana and South Africa. It is found in western and central parts of the region, and uses dry, scrubby country including thornveld, fynbos scrub and semi-desert. Its most useful mark is the pale stripe on the back, set between two broad black bands, though this is only seen when the wings are partly open. The bird also has a grey head and upper body, a buff belly, a bluish white bill with a black tip, and red legs and feet.

Order
Coliiformes
Family
Coliidae — Mousebirds
Breeding range
Africa: Namibia to s Botswana and South Africa
White-backed Mousebird
© Bernard DUPONT from FRANCE · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0

Tours where you can spot this bird

7 tours in South Africa 4, Namibia 3

Private Half-Day Birding in Windhoek
Private Half-Day Birding in Windhoek
Namibia / Windhoek Private tour 1 day

Use five focused hours to search Windhoek’s bushveld, wetlands and rocky corners for Namibian specialties on a private route tailored to y...

From USD 80
Private Full-Day Birding in Windhoek
Private Full-Day Birding in Windhoek
Namibia / Windhoek Private tour 1 day

Spend a private full day birding across Windhoek’s wetlands, thornveld and rocky hills, with a flexible route shaped around target species...

From USD 110
2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
2-Day West Coast Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 2 days

Explore the Western Cape coast over two days, from Darling farmland and Geelbek shorebirds to a Berg River boat trip and Velddrif wetlands....

10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
10-Day Western Cape Birding Tour
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 10 days

A private or small-group Western Cape birding itinerary from Cape Town through the Cape Peninsula, West Coast, Tankwa Karoo, Agulhas Plain, ...

Private West Coast Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private West Coast Birding Day Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 1 day

A private full-day circuit from Cape Town through Darling and the West Coast National Park for larks, korhaans, raptors, shorebirds and coas...

From ZAR 7,000
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Southern Africa Birding Expedition: Namibia, Okavango & Victoria Falls with Birding Ecotours
Namibia / Walvis Bay Group tour 18 days

An 18-day birding expedition from Namibia's Atlantic coast through Etosha and the Okavango Panhandle to Victoria Falls, combining desert nea...

From USD 10,206
Private 3-Day Tankwa Karoo Birding Tour with Birding Ecotours
Private 3-Day Tankwa Karoo Birding Tour with Birding Ecotours
South Africa / Cape Town Private tour 3 days

A private three-day circuit from Cape Town through Ceres into the Tankwa Karoo for arid-zone endemics, canyon specialists and optional night...

From ZAR 17,550