​Bushshrikes & Allies

Malaconotids are shrike-like birds endemic to sub-Saharan Africa. Some are plain black and white, resembling somewhat the eponymous laniid true shrikes, and like them, malaconotids are able predators of large insects and small vertebrates. Although some species hunt, shrikelike, from exposed perches in open country, many tend to skulk in the underbrush or thick canopy; though secretive and hard to see, they are also among the most colorful and stunning birds in Africa, many having bright yellow and red plumages with accented hoods or masks in black or gray. Malaconotids are also known for their songs, with several species engaging in antiphonal singing.