Gray-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyMalaconotidae (Bushshrikes and Allies)
GenusMalaconotus (Large Bushshrikes)
SpeciesMalaconotus blanchoti (Gray-headed Bushshrike)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Moremi Game Reserve

4 Verified sightings at Moremi Game Reserve From 2019 to 2026

3,576 Verified sightings across all 45 parks From 2019 to 2026

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

About the 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.

Six or seven subspecies are recognized. The tropical subspecies intergrade widely, and are locally not separable. M. b. blanchoti Stephens, 1826 — subtropical West Africa to subtropical Cameroon M. b. catharoxanthus Neumann, 1899 — subtropical Cameroon to tropical East Africa

M. b. interpositus E.Hartert, 1911 — Angola and western Zambia, intermediates eastwards M. b. citrinipectus Meise, 1968 — northwestern Namibia, including Kunene River valley M. b. approximans (Cabanis, 1869) — Horn of Africa to northern Tanzania... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Moremi Game Reserve

Laniarius atrococcineus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Laniarius bicolor

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Tchagra senegalus

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Dryoscopus cubla

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Tchagra australis

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Nilaus afer

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck

Laniarius major

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lamprotornis australis

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Lamprotornis mevesii

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Urolestes melanoleucus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Buphagus erythrorhynchus

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

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	~30%
2	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~30%
3	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~30%
4	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~20%
5	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
6	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
7	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
8	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
9	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
10	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
11	Niokolo-Koba National Park	🇸🇳 Senegal	~10%
12	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
13	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
14	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
15	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	~10%
16	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~10%
17	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
18	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
19	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
20	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
21	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
22	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
23	Kidepo Valley National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
24	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	<5%
25	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
26	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
27	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
28	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
29	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
30	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
31	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
32	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
33	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
34	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
35	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
36	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
37	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	Insufficient data
38	Volcanoes National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
39	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
40	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data
41	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
42	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
43	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
44	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
45	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	Insufficient data

← Back to Moremi Game Reserve

Gray-headed Bushshrike

About the Gray-headed Bushshrike

Recent sightings of Gray-headed Bushshrike in Moremi Game Reserve

Closest Relatives at Moremi Game Reserve

Crimson-breasted Gonolek

Gabon Boubou

Black-crowned Tchagra

Black-backed Puffback

Brown-crowned Tchagra

Brubru

Tropical Boubou

Burchell's Glossy-starling

Fork-tailed Drongo

Meves's Glossy-starling

Magpie Shrike

Red-billed Oxpecker

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found