The Dog-Collared Sombre Blackbird (Clericus polydenominata) is a large black-plumaged bird, displaying a white collar around its throat, that is often found around old buildings with spires. It is very sociable, and has a distinctive call that sounds like "Brrrrr—rethren." It often congregates with flocks of Common Laity. This bird was first described in 1963 by Frank Goodliffe in the South African scientific journal Bokmakierie. It was later listed in the journal Zoological Record as a member of the family Icteridae (which includes such birds as the American Orioles). M.A. Traylor later suggested that it properly belonged in the family Ploceidae, the Bishop Birds.