The Southern Boubou (Laniarius ferrugineus) is a bushshrike. This family of passerine birds is closely related to the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, and were once included in that group.

This species is found in southeastern Africa, mainly in southeastern Zimbabwe, eastern Botswana, Mozambique and southern and eastern South Africa. It frequents dense thickets in forests, mangroves, scrub and gardens. In drier regions, it is found in riverside woodland.

The nest, built mainly by the female, is a shallow cup in a creeper or dense bush into which the usually two brown-blotched greenish-white eggs are laid. Both sexes incubate for 16-17 days to hatching, and both bring food to the chicks. Fledging takes place in about another 16 days. About 2% of nests are parasitised by the Black Cuckoo.

Identification

The male Southern Boubou is a fairly distinctive 20-22 cm long bird with black upperparts extending from the top of the head down to the tail, a striking white wing stripe, and a relatively long black tail with white outer feathers. The underparts are white shading to rufous on the lower belly, undertail and flanks. The bill, eyes and legs are black. It resembles the Common Fiscal, Lanius collaris, but is shorter tailed, has more white in the wing, and is much less conspicuous in its habits.

The female is similar to the male, but dark grey above and with a rufous wash to the breast. Young birds are like the female, but mottled buff-brown above, have a buff wash to the wing bar, and are barred below.

The rufous on the underparts, which gives this species its scientific name, distinguishes it from the Tropical and Swamp Boubous.

There are six subspecies, differing in size, upperpart colour, the extent of rufous on the underparts, and the degree of sexual dimorphism. The Southern Boubou has a duetted call, with a boo-boo, followed by a whistled wheee-ooo.

Behaviour

Unlike the true shrikes, which perch conspicuously in the open, the Southern Boubou is shy and skulking. The food is mainly insects, taken from the ground or picked off vegetation as the bird creeps low in bushes. It will also take small vertebrates, snails and small fruits.