Red-backed Mousebird

Red-backed Mousebird

Colius castanotus

LCLeast ConcernNTVUENCR
Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
at Lubango

In 3 days ~70% in a week ~90%

32 Verified sightings at Lubango
February Best month
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted

About the Red-backed Mousebird

The red-backed mousebird (Colius castanotus) is a species of bird in the Coliidae family. It is found in Angola and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The name mousebird is based on bird's soft feathers with texture similar to a mouse's fur. The red-backed mousebird got its name from the red or chestnut color patch on its back.

Its average size ranges from 11 to 15 inches and it weighs around 1 to 3 ounces. Like other mousebirds, Colius castanotus possesses feathers that resembles the soft fur of a mouse, but it is notable for its red or chestnut patch on it back. The red-backed mousebird is not adapted for long-distance flights. The wings of the mousebird are described as short and rounded.

The longevity of the red-backed mouse is 10 to 12 years. River borders that provide water sources for vegetation like trees and bushes are the prefect ideal homes for mousebirds. Their environment is located near the rivers between borders both southern Angola and northern Namibia. The red-backed mousebird prefers less dense forests than those favorable to other mousebirds. Shrubs are also favored, especially with thorns, to keep predators away from... Wikipedia →

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability

More parks will be added in future updates.

Cities Where Found

# City Country Daily sighting probability
1 Luanda 🇦🇴 Angola
~40%
2 Lubango 🇦🇴 Angola
~30%

Before you go

What are the chances of seeing a Red-backed Mousebird in Lubango?

Possible

About 30% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Mousebird sighting in Lubango on a given day, based on 32 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 35 birds we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 70%, and over a week to about 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.

When is the best time to see a Red-backed Mousebird in Lubango?

February and March

In those months about 40% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Mousebird in Lubango on a given day, against about 20% in October, the lowest month. Those are among Lubango's wettest months, with about 170 mm of rain a month against almost none in June. April–June and November–December have too few records to rate.

What time of day is best to see a Red-backed Mousebird?

Between 8 and 11 am

Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Red-backed Mousebird sightings with a recorded time, and about 9 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is a daytime animal.

Is Lubango the best place to see a Red-backed Mousebird?

2nd of 2

Of the 2 cities where we can rate Red-backed Mousebird sightings, Lubango ranks 2nd at about 30%. The best odds are in Luanda (Angola, about 40%).

Where does the Red-backed Mousebird sighting chance come from?

GBIF citizen-science records

It is estimated from how often the Red-backed Mousebird is recorded against all the birds logged in Lubango (32 verified sightings), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.

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