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 South Luangwa National Park
50 Verified sightings at South Luangwa National Park From 2019 to 2026
3,576 Verified sightings across all 45 parks From 2019 to 2026
January 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 South Luangwa National Park

Tropical Boubou

Tropical Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius major

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

Black-backed Puffback

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dryoscopus cubla

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely
Black-crowned Tchagra
LC

Black-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra senegalus

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Brown-crowned Tchagra
LC

Brown-crowned Tchagra

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Tchagra australis

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible
Gabon Boubou
LC

Gabon Boubou

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Laniarius bicolor

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data
Brubru
LC

Brubru

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Nilaus afer

Daily sighting probability ~10% · With luck
Meves's Glossy-starling
LC

Meves's Glossy-starling

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Lamprotornis mevesii

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
LC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Plocepasser mahali

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely
Common Bulbul
LC

Common Bulbul

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Pycnonotus barbatus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Fork-tailed Drongo
LC

Fork-tailed Drongo

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Dicrurus adsimilis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
LC

Blue-breasted Cordonbleu

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Uraeginthus angolensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely
African Pied Wagtail
LC

African Pied Wagtail

☀️ Diurnal Bird

Motacilla aguimp

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 South Luangwa National Park?

About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Gray-headed Bushshrike sighting in South Luangwa National Park, based on 50 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.

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

January has the highest sighting rate for Gray-headed Bushshrike in South Luangwa National Park in our monthly data.

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