Black-backed Butcherbird

1\. The white chin and throat contrasting with the black head, different from other butcherbirds.

2\. Listen for its rolling, chuckling calls – more relaxed and languid than other butcherbird species.

3\. Look for the broken white collar that doesn't completely join at the center of the upper back.

These clever predators hunt by patiently watching from perches before swooping down to catch insects and small vertebrates. They breed from August to April, with peak nesting in October to December. Females build stick nests high in trees while males provide food during incubation. Both parents aggressively defend their territory year-round and feed the chicks together.

Black-backed Butcherbirds inhabit the tropical woodlands and open forests of Cape York Peninsula in far north Queensland. They prefer eucalypt and paperbark forests with grassy understories. Look for them perched prominently on exposed branches at mid to high levels, where they survey the landscape for prey. Dawn and dusk offer the best opportunities to hear their melodious calls. A helpful tip: they often return to favourite perching spots throughout the day, so if you spot one, remember the location.