 The
Bush-shrikes are an interesting group of colorful and often secretive species,
bearing shrike-like bills, restricted to sub-Saharan Africa. One widespread
example is the Brubru (left). It is a small bush-shrike placed in
its own genus (Nilaus); more about it below.
Bush-shrikes are closely related to Helmet-Shrikes (Prionopidae), Vangas (Vangidae), and the Batises & Wattle-eyes (Platysteiridae). Indeed, most of the older literature lumps this group with one or more of these families. It was once thought they were also closely related to true Shrikes (Laniidae), but more recent biochemical research (e.g., Barker et al. 2004) shows that while they are both in the huge Corvoid assemblage, they are not really that closely related (a bit more on taxonomy below). The actual relationships between all these groups has recently received some resolution (Fuchs et al. 2004). |
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 Many
bush-shrikes have loud and characteristic vocalizations, but can be difficult
to see. The
Gray-headed Bush-Shrike (right) is in this set. Even
in this shot it is screened by branches and leaves, but perhaps you can
get a feeling of the big hooked bill and colorful orangey-yellow underparts.
It is a large bush-shrike in the genus Malaconotus, which has six
rather little-known species. Four of this genus are rare and range-restricted
montane species [Lagden's M. lagdeni, Green-breasted M. gladiator,
Monteiro's M. monteiri, and Uluguru M. alius]. Quite a few
of the bush-shrikes are undergrowth skulkers, hard to observe but strongly
vocal. These include the Telophorus bushshrikes (a number of which
are also montane specialists, including the endangered Mt. Kupe Bush-Shrike
T. kupeensis that could actually belong to its own genus), and the
Laniarius gonoleks and boubous. There is still much confusion about
which species is in which genera; I use the proposals of Fuchs et al. (2004)
here.
While boubous are dressed in various combinations of black, gray, and white, the gonoleks are truly spectacular. It is difficult to spot these denizens of thickets or other dense vegetation, but the effort can result in a very rewarding experience. Amazingly, the Crimson-breasted Gonolek (below) that I photographed at Mata Mata Camp in the Kalahari-Gemsbok Nat'l Park, South Africa, had gotten used to people, and almost walked across my foot as it came to a water drip! It is a startlingly gorgeous bird in this vast expanse of Kalahari desert. |
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Because the gonoleks and forest-dwelling bush-shrikes are challenges
just to see, I was particularly pleased with my photographic opportunities
during our quick-paced Uganda trip in 2002. I 'cut-and-paste' this quartet
from the Uganda trip report: "With the help of a local guide, or Rita,
or Hassan Mutebi playing tapes, I was able to photograph, for example,
these four usually secretive bush-shrikes:"
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 A
unique dry-country species is the Rosy-patched Bush-Shrike (left)
of east Africa. It is found in decidedly terrestrial pairs, running rapidly
between the thorn-scrub bushes. Males (like this one) call and display
from bushtops. Although males have rosy throats, the bird is named for
its rosy rump patch, best seen in flight. It has been traditionally placed
in its own genus (Rhodophoneus) but the newest biochemical research
shows that it is not a distinct evolutionary branch, and it is now recommended
to be included among the Telophorus bush-shrikes (Fuchs et al. 2004).
Other impressive skulkers are included in this genus, including one with
the enticing name Gorgeous (or Four-colored) Bush-Shrike Telophorus
quadricolor. Another colorful genus is Chlorophoneus, which
includes the Many-colored Bush-Shrike
C. multicolor. All are beautiful
when seen but are incredibly hard to locate in the dense thickets they
inhabit. Characteristic calls help, but even tapes don't always bring them
in. The South African species goes by the Afrikaner name of Bokmakierie
(below); it is more often heard than seen in the thornveld. This one perched
briefly at the top of dense thorn tree. |
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 Additional
groups in this family are the puffbacks and the tchagras. Each is special
in its own way. The puffbacks are not hard to see — most species forage
in open the canopies of bushes or short trees, often with mixed species
flocks — but they are named from the loose feathers on the male's rump
and lower back. A male Black-backed Puffback (left; the bird is
some distance away but in full display) puffs out the white rump feathers
"to form a remarkable white ball, then bows, droops vibrating wings, and
spreads tail. He makes short 'butterfly' flights with the puff expanded,
and may drop vertically through the air with raised wings. Courting birds
audibly click their wings" (Zimmerman et al 1996). The tchagras are thicket
dwellers, though they can readily be enticed to the scrub edge. There are
four species in the genus Tchagra, and the widespread examples are
birds of dry thorn-forest, like the Brown-crowned Tchagra (below
in a fine photo by Ed Harper). It can be a challenge to distinguish between
the various tchagras unless good views are obtained; all have head patterns
reminding me of large versions of the Worm-eating Warbler Helmitheros
vermivorus in North America.
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 Brubru
(right; trying to deal with a large worm captured in the canopy) has a
tangled taxonomic history, and was at one time variously placed with the
shrikes [Laniidae], bush-shrikes [Malaconotidae], helmet-shrikes [Prionopidae],
or Old World Flycatchers [Muscicapidae]. "Its batis-like plumage, helmet-shrike-like
tarsal scutellation and nest, and true shrike-like bill, juvenal plumage
and behavior have fueled the debate" (Harris & Franklin 2000). Fortunately,
that debate is now over as Fuchs et al. (2004) show it is firmly within
the Bush-Shrike family.
The final member is Blackcap Bush-Shrike Bocagia minuta, sometimes
called the Marsh Tchagra. It hides in rank vegetation and reedbeds
of swamps in west and central Africa. Harris & Franklin (2000) retained
it in a monotypic genus as it differs from Tchagra in a variety
of ways: it is sexually dimorphic, and differs in eye color, tail color,
communication behavior, and nest decoration. However, the preliminary biochemical
work shows it is close to Tchagra (Fuchs et al. 2004) and may prove
in the future to better fit in that genus.
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| Photos: Both photos of Brubru Nilaus
afer were taken in Augrabies Falls Nat'l Park, South Africa, in July
2005. The Gray-headed Bush-Shrike Malaconotus
blanchoti was in Kruger Nat'l Park, South Africa, in July 1996. The
Crimson-breasted
Gonolek Malaconotus blanchoti was at Mata Mata Camp
in Kalahari-Gemsbok Nat'l Park, South Africa, in July 2005. The Uganda
quarter were from July 2002: Luhder's Bush-Shrike
Laniarius luehderi from Ruhiza in Bwindi-Impenetrable
Forest Nat'l Park,
Doherty's Bush-Shrike
Telophorus dohertyi was also at Ruhiza, Black-headed
Gonolek Laniarius erythrogaster from Queen Eliz. II Nat'l
Park,, and Papyrus Gonolek L. mufumbiri
in papyrus lining the Kazinga Channel. The Rosy-patched
Bush-Shrike Telophorus cruentus was photographed in
Tsavo West Nat'l Park, Kenya, in Nov 1981. This male with a black-bordered
throat patch is clearly of the race
cathemagmena which occurs south
of the Equator; I also have photos of the race hilgerti from Samburu
park, north of the equator, whose rosy throat is more extensive and not
bordered with anything at all. The two races do not intergrade (emergent
species?). The Bokmakierie Chlorophoneus
zeylonus. The
Black-backed Puffback Dryocscopus
cubla in distant display was also in Kruger park in July 1996. The
Brown-crowned
Tchagra Tchagra australis was shot by W. Ed Harper
in Kruger Nat'l Park, South Africa, near the Mozambique border, in July
1996. W. Ed Harper also photographed the Tropical
Boubou Laniarius aethiopicus, this one at "The Ark,"
Kenya, in July 1994 (I have poorer photos of the southern race which is
washed with pale cinnamon below). The Slate-colored
Boubou L. funebris was in Samburu Nat'l Park, Kenya,
in Nov 1981. All photos © 2005 D. Roberson except
the photo © W. Ed Harper 2005 and attributed to him; all rights reserved.
Bibliographic note: Family book: Rating This is a very attractive offering in the Princeton bird families series. Tony Harris wrote the text; Kim Franklin did the plates. It has the familiar layout of plates altogether in the front, with range maps and i.d. summary, and detailed species accounts in the back. It looks well researched and has a good bibliography. I very much enjoyed the full-page spreads, with black-and-white sketch, on each genus in the groups covered, that highlights the introduction. There is a lot of discussion of taxonomy but, unfortunately, the authors chose to follow the Sibley & Monroe (1990) approach of only two families: shrikes [Laniidae] and bush-shrikes [Malaconotidae]. All of the batises, wattle-eyes, helmet shrikes, and such things as flycatcher-shrikes, wood-shrikes, and philentomas, are thrown into the latter family. New research does not support this approach. As it turns out, the true shrikes are not the closest relatives to the rest of this set (e.g., Barker et al. 2004), so even the premise of this book proves false. Further, vangas (not included in this book) are closely related to the rest of the group. Indeed, it appears that the flycatcher-shrikes are vangas, and that helmet-shrikes are very closely related to vangas. The text also suffers from the author's use of the "Species Recognition Concept" as his definition for species; fortunately, in practice, in works rather like the tried-and-true "Biological Species Concept." Yet both in its language and in its reliance on DNA hybridization evidence (Sibley & Ahlquist 1990), this book has the unfortunate status of being out-of-date taxonomically much more quickly than would be anticipated.
Barker, F.K., A. Cibois, P. Schikler, J. Feinstein, and J. Cracraft. 2004. Phylogeny and diversification of the largest avian radiation. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 101: 11040-11045. |
