Prionopidae – Helmetshrikes

Retz's Helmetshrike Prionops retzii ©Trevor Hardaker Website

The Prionopidae are a family uniting some smallish to mid-sized passerine species. The helmetshrikes, 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 as the single genera family Prionopidae.

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. They are noisy and sociable birds, some of which breed in loose colonies. They lay 2-4 eggs in neat, well-hidden nests.

There are just 8 species of Helmetshrike in the family Prionopidae; they are:

White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus
Grey-crested Helmetshrike Prionops poliolophus
Yellow-crested Helmetshrike Prionops alberti
Red-billed Helmetshrike Prionops caniceps
Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike Prionops rufiventris
Retz’s Helmetshrike Prionops retzii
Gabela Helmetshrike Prionops gabela
Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons

Species Links
  • Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Chestnut-fronted Helmetshrike Prionops scopifrons

    Species Account
    The chestnut-fronted helmetshrike (Prionops scopifrons) is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
  • Gabela Helmetshrike Prionops gabela

    IUCN Species Status
    19 cm. All black forest shrike. Slate-grey body with white tips to tail, paler belly and vent, red eyes, eye wattles and bill.
  • Gabela Helmetshrike Prionops gabela

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Gabela Helmetshrike Prionops gabela

    Species Account
    The Gabela helmetshrike (Prionops gabela) is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
  • Grey-crested Helmetshrike Prionops poliolophus

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Grey-crested Helmetshrike Prionops poliolophus

    Species Account
    The grey-crested helmetshrike (Prionops poliolophus) is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
  • Red-billed Helmetshrike Prionops caniceps

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Red-billed Helmetshrike Prionops caniceps

    Species Account
    The red-billed helmetshrike or chestnut-bellied helmetshrike (Prionops caniceps) is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
  • Retz's Helmetshrike Prionops retzii

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Retz's Helmetshrike Prionops retzii

    Species Account
    The Retz's helmetshrike (Prionops retzii) is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
  • Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike Prionops rufiventris

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Rufous-bellied Helmetshrike Prionops rufiventris

    Species Account
    The rufous-bellied helmetshrike or Gabon helmetshrike (Prionops rufiventris) is a passerine bird belonging to the helmetshrike family, Prionopidae. It inhabits tropical forest in Central Africa. It is sometimes included within the chestnut-bellied helmetshrike (P. caniceps) of West Africa.
  • White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus

    IUCN Species Status
    The global population size has not been quantified, but the species is reported to be frequent to common (Fry and Keith 2004).
  • White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • White-crested Helmetshrike Prionops plumatus

    Species Account
    The white-crested helmetshrike (Prionops plumatus), also known as the white helmetshrike, is a species of passerine bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
  • Yellow-crested Helmetshrike Prionops alberti

    IUCN Species Status
    20 cm. All-black shrike of forest canopy. Slightly glossy, black plumage relieved only by brilliant golden crest.
  • Yellow-crested Helmetshrike Prionops alberti

    Species Account
    Sound archive and distribution map
  • Yellow-crested Helmetshrike Prionops alberti

    Species Account
    The yellow-crested helmetshrike (Prionops alberti) is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Prionopidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
Number of Species
  • Number of bird species: 8

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