Gray-headed Bushshrike
Gray-headed BushshrikeGray-headed BushshrikeGray-headed BushshrikeGray-headed Bushshrike

Gray-headed Bushshrike

Malaconotus blanchoti

Silhouette: Sheatherius · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered
Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
at Ruaha National Park
42 Verified sightings at Ruaha National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,576 Verified sightings across all 45 parks From 2019 to 2026
July Best month highest sighting rate
☀️ 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 Ruaha National Park

Slate-colored Boubou
LC

Slate-colored Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius funebris

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Brown-crowned Tchagra
LC

Brown-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra australis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Black-backed Puffback
LC

Black-backed Puffback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryoscopus cubla

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible
Brubru
LC

Brubru

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nilaus afer

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Black-crowned Tchagra
LC

Black-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra senegalus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Tropical Boubou

Tropical Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius major

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare
Ashy Starling
LC

Ashy Starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis unicolor

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu
LC

Red-cheeked Cordon-bleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus bengalus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Green-winged Pytilia
LC

Green-winged Pytilia

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pytilia melba

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Green-backed Camaroptera
LC

Green-backed Camaroptera

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Camaroptera brachyura

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

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

Quick answers

What are the chances of seeing a Gray-headed Bushshrike in Ruaha National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-headed Bushshrike sighting in Ruaha National Park, based on 42 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

When is the best time to see Gray-headed Bushshrike in Ruaha National Park?

July has the highest sighting rate for Gray-headed Bushshrike in Ruaha National Park in our monthly data.

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