The
bushshrikes are smallish passerine bird species. They were formerly classed with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group as the family Malaconotidae.

This is an African group of species which are found in scrub or open woodland. They are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colorful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive.

Some bushshrikes have flamboyant displays. The male puffbacks puff out the loose feathers on their rump and lower back, to look almost ball-like.

Bushshrikes are small to medium-sized passerines, with short, rounded wings and strong legs and feet. Plumage is typically black, grey, and brown, with some yellow and green. Some bush shrikes have red undersides or red throat-patches.


Genus Nilaus - Brubru
Brubru, Nilaus afer
Genus Dryoscopus - puffbacks
Northern puffback, Dryoscopus gambensis
Pringle's puffback, Dryoscopus pringlii
Black-backed puffback, Dryoscopus cubla
Red-eyed puffback, Dryoscopus senegalensis
Pink-footed puffback, Dryoscopus angolensis
Sabine's puffback, Dryoscopus sabini
Genus Tchagra - tchagras
Marsh tchagra, Tchagra minuta
Black-crowned tchagra, Tchagra senegala
Brown-crowned tchagra, Tchagra australis
Three-streaked tchagra, Tchagra jamesi
Southern tchagra, Tchagra tchagra
Genus Laniarius - boubous and gonoleks (15-20 species)
Genus Rhodophoneus - rosy-patched bushshrike
Rosy-patched bushshrike, Rhodophoneus cruentus
Genus Telophorus - formerly in Malaconotus
Bokmakierie, Telophorus zeylonus
Bocage's bushshrike, Telophorus bocagei
Orange-breasted bushshrike, Telophorus sulfureopectus
Olive bushshrike, Telophorus olivaceus
Many-colored bushshrike, Telophorus multicolor
Black-fronted bushshrike, Telophorus nigrifrons
Mount Kupe bushshrike, Telophorus kupeensis
Four-colored bushshrike, Telophorus viridis
Doherty's bushshrike, Telophorus dohertyi
Genus Malaconotus
Fiery-breasted bushshrike, Malaconotus cruentus
Lagden's bushshrike, Malaconotus lagdeni
Green-breasted bushshrike, Malaconotus gladiator
Grey-headed bushshrike, Malaconotus blanchoti
Monteiro's bushshrike, Malaconotus monteiri
Uluguru bushshrike, Malaconotus alius