White-crested Helmetshrike

Prionops plumatus

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyPrionopidae
GenusPrionops (Helmetshrikes)
SpeciesPrionops plumatus (White-crested Helmetshrike)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Amboseli National Park

2 Verified sightings at Amboseli National Park From 2019 to 2026

5,165 Verified sightings across all 38 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the White-crested Helmetshrike

The white-crested helmetshrike (Prionops plumatus), also known as the white helmetshrike, is a species of passerine bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae. It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savanna, moist savanna, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is a gregarious bird and is found in small, active parties that are always on the move as they forage among the foliage or on the ground. They chatter noisily to one another as they move through their territory. (White-crested helmetshrike = ) White helmetshrike - Species text in The Atlas of Southern African Birds. Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Amboseli National Park

Lamprotornis superbus

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Eremopterix leucopareia

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Plocepasser mahali

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Anthus cinnamomeus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Creatophora cinerea

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Dinemellia dinemelli

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Hirundo rustica

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Hirundo smithii

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cisticola marginatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Ploceus castaneiceps

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cichladusa guttata

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~40%
2	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~40%
3	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~40%
4	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~30%
5	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~30%
6	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~30%
7	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
8	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~20%
9	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~20%
10	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~20%
11	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
12	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~20%
13	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~20%
14	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
15	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	~10%
16	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
17	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
18	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
19	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
20	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
21	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
22	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
23	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~10%
24	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
25	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	~10%
26	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
27	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
28	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
29	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
30	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
31	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
32	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
33	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
34	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data
35	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
36	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
37	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
38	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data

← Back to Amboseli National Park

White-crested Helmetshrike

About the White-crested Helmetshrike

Recent sightings of White-crested Helmetshrike in Amboseli National Park

Closest Relatives at Amboseli National Park

Superb Starling

Fischer's Sparrow-Lark

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

Grassveld Pipit

Wattled Starling

White-headed Buffalo-Weaver

Barn Swallow

Wire-tailed Swallow

Winding Cisticola

Taveta Golden-Weaver

Spotted Morning-Thrush

Fork-tailed Drongo

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found