Many of the “mystery sounds” that people ask me about turn out to be one of these guys. That’s because they have loud, beautiful and simple songs, but the birds themselves are tough to see. But it’s important to get to know the calls of tchagras, boubous, bushshrikes, puffbacks and brubrus because they are some of the most-often-heard calls, each in their own habitat.
Southern Tchagra
Grysborstjagra
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Did you know that the name tchagra comes from the raspy, growling calls of these birds? In the beginning of this clip you’ll hear the loud fripping sound that the wings make as the bird launches into its display flight. It flaps a few metres up, then drops down while whisling. At the end of the clip you can hear some of the growling “tchagra” calls.
Black-crowned Tchagra
Swartkroontjagra
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Because of its mellow whistling song, people sometimes call the Black-crowned Tchagra one the “lazy whistler” or “drunk flute player”. They often whistle from the tops of bushes while pointing their bills skywards. A lovely sound! Like other tchagras, it also makes growling, clicking and rattling sounds like in the second half of the clip.
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Rooivlerktjagra
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You’ll hear this descending sound quite often in thornveld habitats. It’s the display song of a male Brown-crowned Tchagra. He clambers up to the top of a thorn tree, pauses for a second and then launches up with whirring wings; one he’s just above the trees he gives the song while fluttering down. They also make softer chuck-calls and snarling sounds.
Southern Boubou
Suidelike Waterfiskaal
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People often send me recordings of “mystery birds”. About 90% of the time it is a Southern Boubou! These shy shrikes make an enormous variety of musical whistles. Because I’m Afrikaans, I usually pronounce their name as “bobo” but strictly speaking one should say “booboo”. And that’s because their name comes from one of their calls: boo-boo. They also duet.
Tropical Boubou
Tropiese Waterfiskaal
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Tropical boubous can sound a lot like Southerns; both make long, drawn-out whistles for example. But Tropicals often make a harsher sound too. In this clip you can hear the male and female calling together in a duet. Can you make out their different notes? I recorded this in a tropical tangle on the edge of a forest in Malawi.
Crimson-breasted Shrike
Rooiborslaksman
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Although they are called shrikes, this species is actually a kind of boubou. And like boubous they make a great variety of sounds; some musical and others scratchy and harsh. Also like boubous, the male and female often call in duet. Probably the most characteristic call is the first variation in this clip: a loud chop-chop! You can hear a second bird adding its call too.
Grey-headed Bushshrike
Spookvoël
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I love the Afrikaans name of this bird – Spookvoël or “ghost bird”. That’s because their long, drawn-out whistles sound a bit like a ghost going “boooooo” like you would hear in cartoons. But also because you hear the sound but don’t see the bird up in the canopy. They also make loud screaming calls (second half of the clip), plus loud bill-snaps. Very cool!
Orange-breasted Bushshrike
Oranjeborsboslaksman
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Like all bushshrikes, you hear this one more often than you see it! But listen for its beautiful whistled song and you’ll track it down in thick bushveld. To me the song sounds like coffee-tea-or-meee. But sometimes it’s faster and sometimes it’s slower. And sometimes it’s higher and sometimes lower. Usually the first notes are all the same, but the last one is drawn out.
Olive Bushshrike
Olyfboslaksman
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These guys are a classic sound in forest habitats – but they can be confusing! There is a lot of variation, meaning that they sound quite different in different forests. . They make about five quick whistles that sound like toy-toy-toy-toy-toy. They also make harsh snarling or growling sounds. You can hear one such example right at the end of this clip.
Gorgeous Bushshrike
Konkoit
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Gorgeous Bushshrike is a great name for this stunning but shy skulker. But the Afrikaans name, Konkoit, is just as cool! It is from their distinctive call: kong, kong, koweet, koweet. To find a Konkoit you have to listen for this sound and then walk quietly towards the bush that it’s coming from. Move slowly and patiently, and if it stop, freeze. Look deep inside the thickets!
Bokmakierie
Bokmakierie
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What does Bokmakierie mean? It’s just a bit of nonsense, and translates to “buck, mom, cane” in Afrikaans. But where does it come from? The sound, of course! But these colourful ground-living bushshrikes don’t only go bok-ma-kirry. They also make loads of other calls. Usually the male and female call together in a duet. I’ve put examples from all over SA in the clip.
Black-backed Puffback
Sneeubal
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The most well-known call of the Puffback is the first one on the clip: click-weeo! Males often make this sound with their feathers puffed up into a “snow ball”. But they also make many other sounds, usually with clicks, snaps or growls. Once you know all their calls you’ll be able to tell when a mixed bird party is coming in your direction. Be ready!
Brubru
Bontroklaksman
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I love the call of the Brubru! It sounds a bit like the ringing of an old school telephone – those ones that were attached to the wall in your house. It usually starts with one or two quick chick notes, then a long ringing trill. Males and females often call together. Males sit out when calling, but females remain hidden.
- Please be careful not to disturb birds too much if you’re playing their sounds.
- All the sound and images on this page are copyright Faansie Peacock/Firefinch App.
- To hear all the bird sounds, check out my Firefinch app on App Store/Google Play.
