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.
The bushshrikes are smallish passerine birds. They were formerly classed with the true shrikes in the family Laniidae, but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group as the family Malaconotidae, a name that alludes to their fluffy back and rump feathers.
The sickle-billed vanga is a species of bird in the vanga family Vangidae. It is monotypic within the genus Falculea. It is endemic to Madagascar. Its natural habitats are tropical dry forests and tropical dry shrubland.
The crested jayshrike or crested shrikejay, formerly known as the crested jay, is a species of bird found in Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, and Thailand. It is the only member of the genus Platylophus and the family Platylophidae.
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-fronted helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
Gabela is a town, with a population of 116,903 (2014), and a commune, named Gabela Sede, in the municipality of Amboim, province of Cuanza Sul, Angola and the seat of that municipality. The area of the commune comprises 459 km2 with a population of 184,723. It was founded as N'Guebela on September 28, 1907.
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.
The Angolan Scarp savanna and woodlands is an ecoregion located on the coast of Angola, an area with a variety of habitats and rich in wildlife including many endemic birds and animals.
The flycatcher-shrikes are two species of small Asian passerine bird belonging to the genus Hemipus. They are now usually placed in the Vangidae.
Malaconotoidea is a superfamily of passerine birds. They contain a vast diversity of omnivorous and carnivorous songbirds widespread in Africa and Australia, many of which superficially resemble shrikes. It was defined and named by Cacraft and colleagues in 2004 and contains the bushshrikes (Malaconotidae), helmetshrikes (Prionopidae), ioras (Aegithinidae), vangas (Vangidae) and the Australian butcherbirds, magpies, currawongs and woodswallows (Artamidae). Molecular analysis in 2006 added the Bornean bristlehead to the group, though its position in the Malconotoidea is unclear. It was initially thought related to the butcherbirds and woodswallows but now is thought to be an early offshoot.
