The family Vangidae comprises a group of often shrike-like medium-sized birds distributed from Asia to Africa, including the vangas of Madagascar to which the family owes its name. Many species in this family were previously classified elsewhere in other families. Recent molecular techniques made it possible to assign these species to Vangidae, thereby solving several taxonomic enigmas. The family contains 40 species divided into 21 genera.
Helmetshrikes are a family uniting some smallish to mid-sized songbird species. They were included with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, later on split between several presumably closely related groups such as bushshrikes (Malaconotidae) and cuckooshrikes (Campephagidae), but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group into the family Vangidae.
The chestnut-breasted nigrita is a common species of estrildid finch found in Africa. It has an estimated global extent of occurrence of 3,000,000 km2.
The burnt-necked eremomela is a species of bird formerly placed in the "Old World warbler" assemblage, but now placed in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Eswatini, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests, dry savannah, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
The black-eared sparrow-lark or black-eared finch lark is a species of lark in the family Alaudidae. It is found in southern Botswana, Namibia, and South Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The chestnut-headed sparrow-lark or chestnut-headed finch-lark is a species of passerine bird in the family Alaudidae. It is found in eastern and north-eastern Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland, subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland, and hot deserts.
Rudd's apalis is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found primarily in Mozambique but also in southern Malawi and adjacent areas of South Africa and Eswatini. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist shrubland.
The chestnut-breasted whiteface is a species of bird in the family Acanthizidae. It is endemic to Australia. Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical dry shrubland. It is threatened by habitat loss.
The black-and-white shrike-flycatcher, also known as the black-and-white flycatcher or vanga flycatcher, is a species of passerine bird found in Africa. It was placed with the wattle-eyes and batises in the family Platysteiridae but is now considered to be more closely related to the helmetshrikes and woodshrikes.
The rufous cisticola is a species of bird in the family Cisticolidae. It is found in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone, and Togo. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry shrubland and subtropical or tropical dry lowland grassland.
The olive bushshrike is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae. It is found in Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Eswatini, and Zimbabwe. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest, subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest, subtropical or tropical moist montane forest, and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.
The black-and-rufous warbling finch is a species of bird in the tanager family Thraupidae.
The yellow-crested helmetshrike or King Albert's helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae. This large, striking helmetshrike is unique in its black plumage and bright yellow crest. Though this species has been encountered broadly across the mountains of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is still much to learn about this species. It is rarely reported due to the majority of its distribution occurring in relatively remote regions within the Albertine Rift, an area with ongoing armed conflict.
The red-billed helmetshrike or chestnut-bellied helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family, Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
The Gabela helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
The white-crested helmetshrike, also known as the white helmetshrike, is a species of passerine bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
The gray-crested helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
Retz's helmetshrike is a species of bird in the helmetshrike family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
The chestnut-throated seedeater is Neotropical songbird in the family Thraupidae.
The rufous-bellied helmetshrike or Gabon helmetshrike is a passerine bird belonging to the Vanga family, Vangidae. It inhabits tropical forest in Central Africa. It is sometimes included within the chestnut-bellied helmetshrike of West Africa.
