Helmetshrikes are a
family
Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...
uniting some smallish to mid-sized
songbird
A songbird is a bird belonging to the suborder Passeri of the perching birds (Passeriformes). Another name that is sometimes seen as the scientific or vernacular name is Oscines, from Latin ''oscen'', "songbird". The Passeriformes contains 5000 ...
species
In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...
. They were included with the true shrikes in the family
Laniidae, later on split between several presumably closely related groups such as bushshrikes (
Malaconotidae) and cuckooshrikes (
Campephagidae), but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group into the family
Vangidae.
Description and ecology
This is an African group of species which are found in scrub or open woodland. They are similar in feeding habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush or tree.
Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be colourful species with the distinctive crests or other head ornaments, such as wattles, from which they get their name.
Helmetshrikes are noisy and sociable birds, some of which breed in loose colonies. They lay 2–4 eggs in neat, well-hidden nests.
Systematics
As the relationships of the shrike-like birds are increasingly disentangled, the helmetshrikes appear to form an
evolutionary radiation
An evolutionary radiation is an increase in taxonomic diversity that is caused by elevated rates of speciation, that may or may not be associated with an increase in morphological disparity. Radiations may affect one clade or many, and be rapid ...
with the
Vangidae.
* Genus ''
Prionops
Helmetshrikes are a family uniting some smallish to mid-sized songbird species. They were included with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, later on split between several presumably closely related groups such as bushshrikes ( Malaconotidae ...
'' – typical helmetshrikes
**
White-crested helmetshrike
The white-crested helmetshrike (''Prionops plumatus''), also known as the white helmetshrike, is a species of passerine bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
Distribution and habitat
It is found in ...
, ''Prionops plumatus''
**
Grey-crested helmetshrike
The gray-crested helmetshrike (''Prionops poliolophus'') is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
It is found in Kenya and Tanzania. Its natural habitats are dry savanna and subtropical ...
, ''Prionops poliolophus''
**
Yellow-crested helmetshrike
The yellow-crested helmetshrike (''Prionops alberti'') or King Albert I of Belgium, King Albert's helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family (biology), family Vangidae. This large, striking helmetshrike is unique in its black plumage a ...
, ''Prionops alberti''
**
Red-billed helmetshrike
The red-billed helmetshrike or chestnut-bellied helmetshrike (''Prionops caniceps'') is a species of bird in the Vanga family (biology), family, Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
It is found in West Africa, occurring in B ...
, ''Prionops caniceps''
**
Rufous-bellied helmetshrike
The rufous-bellied helmetshrike or Gabon helmetshrike (''Prionops rufiventris'') is a passerine bird belonging to the Vanga family, Vangidae. It inhabits tropical forest in Central Africa. It is sometimes included within the chestnut-bellied hel ...
, ''Prionops rufiventris''
**
Retz's helmetshrike
Retz's helmetshrike (''Prionops retzii'') is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
Subspecies
Four subspecies are recognized:
* ''P. r. nigricans'' (Neumann, 1899) – south centr ...
, ''Prionops retzii''
**
Gabela helmetshrike
The Gabela helmetshrike (''Prionops gabela'') is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
It is endemic to Angola.
Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests a ...
, ''Prionops gabela''
**
Chestnut-fronted helmetshrike
The chestnut-fronted helmetshrike (''Prionops scopifrons'') is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
It is found in Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Its ...
, ''Prionops scopifrons''
External links
Helmetshrike videosin the Macaulay Library
{{Taxonbar, from=Q577681
Taxa named by Louis Jean Pierre Vieillot