Black-fronted Bushshrike
Chlorophoneus nigrifrons
Pretty bushshrike that has four different morphs. These vary by the color of the underparts: white with a pinkish breast, a black breast and yellow belly, yellow with an orange center of the breast, or red with a yellow belly. Found in forest, mainly at middle and high elevations. Often joins mixed feeding flocks. The most common vocalizations are repeated bell-like notes and low rasps. Variable, but in all morphs, separated from other bushshrikes by black extending above the bill and by the lack of a pale eye stripe.
Identification
It is 18-19 centimetres long. It is variable in appearance and has several different colour morphs. All birds have green upperparts, grey crown and upper back, yellow tip to the tail and dark bill and legs. The orange morph has a black mask and forehead and orange underparts, shading to yellow under the tail. The red morph is similar but redder on the throat and breast with yellow on the belly and undertail-coverts. The buff form has buff underparts and a pale throat. The black morph has an entirely black face, forehead, throat and breast and green belly and undertail-coverts. Females are duller than the males with less black on the forehead. Juvenile birds have buffish underparts with dark barring and yellow edges to the wing-feathers. The song includes repeated bell-like phrases. Pairs often duet together.
Taxonomy
- Scientific name
- Chlorophoneus nigrifrons
- Authority
- (Reichenow, 1896)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Malaconotidae
- Genus
- Chlorophoneus
Range and habitat
It has a patchy distribution and is restricted to montane forests in many areas. It forages in the canopy and middle levels of the forest and joins mixed-species feeding flocks outside the breeding season. There are three subspecies: C. n. nigrifrons occurs from central Kenya southwards through Tanzania to northern Malawi. C. n. manningi is found from the south-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo to northern Zambia. C. n. sandgroundi occurs in southern Malawi, Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe and north-eastern South Africa.
- Migration
- Resident species
Conservation
- Population trend
- stable
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
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