Brubru
BrubruBrubruBrubruBrubru

Brubru

Nilaus afer

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
at Samburu National Reserve
396 Verified sightings at Samburu National Reserve From 2019 to 2026
5,761 Verified sightings across all 44 parks From 2019 to 2026
March Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Brubru

The brubru (Nilaus afer) is a species of bushshrike (family Malaconotidae) found in most of Sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Nilaus. Slight plumage and size variations reflect different ecological niches. Race N. a. hilgerti is currently synonymized with N. a. minor. The subspecies include:

Nilaus afer afer — West Africa, with distinctive male plumage Nilaus afer massaicus — East Africa, including northeastern Uganda Nilaus afer minor — East Africa, including Kenya and Tanzania Nilaus afer nigritemporalis — Katanga region of DRC and adjacent Zambia

Nilaus afer solivagus — Southern Africa and southern Zambia Its habitat is dry open woodland, but varies geographically. The six northern races and the subspecies N. a. Brubru of southern Africa are found in acacia and broadleaved woodland, whereas the three subspecies in a belt from northeastern Angola and northern Namibia east to Tanzania and northern Mozambique occur in Brachystegia miombo woodland.

The brubru is a small passerine, 12–15 cm long. The adult male of the nominate subspecies, N. a. afer, has a black crown, white supercilium and forehead... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Samburu National Reserve

Slate-colored Boubou
LC

Slate-colored Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius funebris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Three-streaked Tchagra
LC

Three-streaked Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra jamesi

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Northern Puffback
LC

Northern Puffback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryoscopus gambensis

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Pringle's Puffback
LC

Pringle's Puffback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryoscopus pringlii

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Tropical Boubou

Tropical Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius major

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Gray-headed Bushshrike
LC

Gray-headed Bushshrike

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Malaconotus blanchoti

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Superb Starling
LC

Superb Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis superbus

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

Daily sighting probability ~80% · Very likely
White-headed Buffalo-Weaver
LC

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dinemellia dinemelli

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver
LC

Donaldson-Smith's Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser donaldsoni

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Parrot-billed Sparrow
LC

Parrot-billed Sparrow

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Passer gongonensis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

# Park Country Daily sighting probability
1 Samburu National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~40%
2 Waterberg Plateau Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~30%
3 Kidepo Valley National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~30%
4 Meru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
5 Mkomazi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
6 Tsavo West National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~20%
7 Serengeti National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
8 Tarangire National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~20%
9 Ngorongoro Conservation Area 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
10 Lake Mburo National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
11 Kafue National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
12 Ruaha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
13 Kruger National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
14 Etosha National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
15 Mana Pools National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
16 Lower Zambezi National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
17 Mikumi National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
18 Nairobi National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
19 Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
~10%
20 Liwonde National Park 🇲🇼 Malawi
~10%
21 Gonarezhou National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
22 Hwange National Park 🇿🇼 Zimbabwe
~10%
23 Awash National Park 🇪🇹 Ethiopia
~10%
24 Lake Manyara National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
~10%
25 Murchison Falls National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
~10%
26 Tsavo East National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
27 Masai Mara National Reserve 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
28 South Luangwa National Park 🇿🇲 Zambia
~10%
29 Amboseli National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
~10%
30 Gorongosa National Park 🇲🇿 Mozambique
~10%
31 Akagera National Park 🇷🇼 Rwanda
~10%
32 Namib-Naukluft National Park 🇳🇦 Namibia
~10%
33 Moremi Game Reserve 🇧🇼 Botswana
~10%
34 Lake Nakuru National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
<5%
35 Arusha National Park 🇹🇿 Tanzania
<5%
36 Pilanesberg National Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
37 Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
38 Chobe National Park 🇧🇼 Botswana
<5%
39 iSimangaliso Wetland Park 🇿🇦 South Africa
<5%
40 Queen Elizabeth National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
<5%
41 Virunga National Park 🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo
<5%
42 Niokolo-Koba National Park 🇸🇳 Senegal
Insufficient data
43 Aberdare National Park 🇰🇪 Kenya
Insufficient data
44 Kibale National Park 🇺🇬 Uganda
Insufficient data

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Brubru in Samburu National Reserve?

About 40% of wildlife watchers report a Brubru sighting in Samburu National Reserve, based on 396 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Brubru in Samburu National Reserve?

March has the highest sighting rate for Brubru in Samburu National Reserve in our monthly data.

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