blackbacked

Blackbacked, often written black-backed, is a descriptive term used in several common names for animals that have a dark coloration on the dorsal surface. It is not a taxon or a scientific name, but a color-based descriptor that appears in disparate groups, most commonly birds and mammals.

In avian usage, it commonly marks species with a dark back or mantle. Notable examples include the great black-backed gull, a large North Atlantic gull whose adult back and wings are black, giving it a distinctive silhouette; and the black-backed woodpecker, a North American species whose plumage features a black back with white underparts and a preference for conifer forests damaged by fire or beetle infestation.

In mammals, the black-backed jackal is a canid native to eastern and southern Africa; it has a dark dorsal saddle running from shoulders toward the hindquarters, contrasting with lighter flanks and underparts. The term is also found in other regional names and may vary in spelling (blackbacked vs. black-backed).

Because common names are not standardized, the same or similar descriptor may apply to different species in different regions, and some species with black dorsums may be described by alternative color terms. Researchers rely on scientific names to avoid ambiguity.