Gray-headed Bushshrike
Malaconotus blanchoti
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassAves (Aus)
- OrderPasseriformes
- FamilyMalaconotidae (Bushshrikes and Allies)
- GenusMalaconotus (Large Bushshrikes)
- SpeciesMalaconotus blanchoti (Gray-headed Bushshrike)
The grey-headed bushshrike (Malaconotus blanchoti), colloquially known as the ghostbird, is a species of passerine bird in the family Malaconotidae. It is widespread throughout sub-Saharan Africa, although relatively absent in Central Africa and the interior of southern Africa. It is the most widespread species of its genus, which consists of large bushshrikes with massive bills and mournful hooting calls. It occurs sparsely in a range of wooded habitats, though typically in denser vegetation within dry or moist savannah. The monogamous pairs occupy woodland with sufficient cover. They are sedentary, but will undertake limited post-breeding movements. Wikipedia →
10–20% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-headed Bushshrike sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 194 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Tsavo East National Park
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Slate-colored Boubou
Laniarius funebris
Zanzibar Boubou
Laniarius sublacteus
Black-crowned Tchagra
Tchagra senegalus
Four-colored Bushshrike
Telophorus viridis
Brubru
Nilaus afer
Pringle's Puffback
Dryoscopus pringlii
Red-naped Bushshrike
Laniarius ruficeps
Three-streaked Tchagra
Tchagra jamesi
Brown-crowned Tchagra
Tchagra australis
Tropical Boubou
Laniarius major
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Gray-headed Bushshrike in Tsavo East National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-headed Bushshrike sighting in Tsavo East National Park, based on 194 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Gray-headed Bushshrike in Tsavo East National Park?
May has the highest sighting rate for Gray-headed Bushshrike in Tsavo East National Park in our monthly data.