Malaconotus blanchoti
The Grey-headed Bush-shrike is distributed through most of Africa’s savanna regions, stretching from the Sahel in West Africa to Eritrea and Somalia in the east, and then southwards to South Africa, where they’re found in the north and east of our country. They’re found in denser habitat-types and are very shy, seldom venturing into the open. These Bush-shrikes are adept hunters, catching any prey from insects to lizards, chameleons and snakes and even other birds.
Grey-headed Bush-shrikes live in monogamous pairs, each pair controlling a sizable territory. The female constructs the cup-shaped nest in the fork of a tree, using materials that the male brings to her. They nest during spring and summer, when the female incubates a clutch of 2-4 eggs over a week period. While the female is on the eggs or brooding the chicks the male is entirely responsible for bringing back food to her and the growing chicks. The chicks leave the nest when they’re about 3 weeks old but may remain in their parents’ territory until they’re a year old. Fully grown, this is the largest species of the Bush-shrike family occurring in our country, measuring about 26cm in length and weighing around 77g.
According to the IUCN the Grey-headed Bush-Shrike is of least concern.
DeWetsWild 
Such a striking and beautiful bird. The bright eye gives it an other-worldly look and the call too. The Afrikaans name – Spookvoël – is most apt.
Most definitely of the most recognisable calls where these birds occur, and heard much more often than seen!
Vir ‘n klein voëltjie, het hierdie enetjie nogal ‘n groot (maar stomperige) bekkie – seker om die akkedisse en goggas maklik te kan optel!
Hulle is eintlik baie groter as wat die foto’s hulle laat lyk, Corna, en glo my hulle is dodelik met daardie bekke!
So pragtig Dries! :-D – jammer ek was so lanklaas hier!
Altyd lekker wanneer jy hier kuier, Aletta!
Dankie Dries!
Aha, ‘n Spookvoël. Het hom al eenkeer in die natuur gesien. Mooi fotos.
Jy kan jouself baie gelukkig ag as jy hom mooi duidelik te siene gekry het, Ineke!
Jy weet in Potties is baie groot bome in tuine. Ek het gereeld sy fluit gehoor en nooit hom gesien nie tot een oggend vroeg terwyl ek op stoep my vroëe tee drink sien ek hom in die boom (kannie op oomblik onthou wat boom se naam is nie) As hy nie effens sy kop gedraai het nie sou ek hom nie gesien het nie.
Wat n voorreg om n mens se dag so te kon begin, Ineke!
Beslis. Het ook groen papagaai duif op die manier kon sien, in selfde boom.
I am rather envious of these wonderful pictures – I hear these birds in my garden loud and clear sometimes … photographing them is nigh impossible!
Considering how powerful and intimidating they are it surprises me that they’re so shy, Anne.
Great post. Interesting coloring on these birds, and I love their striking eyes. Kudos to Joubert on these wonderful photos!
Thank you very much, Carol!
Pretty.
They certainly are!