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- Yellow-crested Helmetshrike
- Yellow-crested Helmetshrike
- Yellow-crested Helmetshrike
- Yellow-crested Helmetshrike
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Yellow-crested Helmetshrike Prionops alberti Scientific name definitions

David Allan
Version: 1.0 — Published March 4, 2020
Text last updated January 1, 2009

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Originally Appeared in

HBW Alive

Field Identification

22–24 cm; 61–62 g. Has rounded yellow crest (up to 20 mm) from lores to hindcrown, yellow extending down to level with eye (yellow crest feathers not always obvious in field, and can be fringed brown or grey); remainder of plumage black, glossed greenish; reported as sometimes showing white or grey bar across inner primaries; iris greenish-yellow, narrow orange orbital ring; bill black; legs dusky pinkish to reddish. Sexes similar. Juvenile has whitish, brownish or pale yellow crest, duller, less glossy, body plumage, brown eyes, brownish bill.

Systematics History

Monotypic.

Subspecies

Monotypic.

Distribution

Mountains of W Albertine Rift in E DRCongo.

Habitat

Montane forest, Hagenia and bamboo forest, also, at lower altitudes, primary rainforest; 1100–2600 m, primarily 1400–2500 m, but apparently first discovered at c. 4400 m in alpine zone.

Movement

No details. Probably resident, perhaps with some seasonal altitudinal movements.

Diet and Foraging

Diet apparently insects, e.g. grasshoppers (Orthoptera). Lives and forages in tightly knit groups mostly of 4–8 individuals (up to 20 recorded), which move at speed. Concentrates hunting in upper canopy, and frequently catches insects in flight in manner of flycatcher (Muscicapidae). Sometimes perches in open. Occasionally in mixed-species bird parties.

Sounds and Vocal Behavior

Poorly known. Typical call described as "tlu-uk" note, repeateed up to six times, musical and far-carrying. Also noisy chorusing and duetting, and bubbling, chattering, descending, nasal, piping, rolling and slurred notes.

Breeding

Poorly known. Egg-laying apparently during rains, recorded Dec–Apr and Jun–Jul. Co-operative breeder. Nest reported as built with twigs and lichen, lined with rootlets, placed 6–7 m above ground (about half-way up) in fork of tree in montane forest. No other information.

Conservation Status

Conservation status on Birdlife VU Vulnerable
VULNERABLE. Restricted range species: present in Albertine Rift Mountains EBA. Generally rare to uncommon. Global population likely to be small, estimated as in range c. 2500–10,000 and decreasing. Present at four localized regions in Albertine Rift: Itombwe Mts (Mwana to Kitongo and Kilize), mountains W of L Edward (Bitakongo, Kanyabisika and Pinga to Bilati) and L Kivu (Kamatemba, Virunga to Butokolo) and, at 1770–2474 m, Mt Misotshi-Kabogo (formerly Mt Kabobo) and Muganja Hills. No longer present at type locality. Report of presence in Bwindi-Impenetrable Forest, in SW Uganda, requires confirmation; claimed Rwandan record unacceptable. During surveys in S & C Itombwe in 1996, was observed many times W of the C plateau, but apparently absent in similar habitat to E. Threatened by forest clearance for subsistence cultivation, e.g. maize, and cattle pastures, especially at Itombwe (particularly at higher altitudes). Problems exacerbated by civil unrest among human population and military activity, with large numbers of refugees. This species' geographical range is largely outside protected areas, but it occurs in Virunga National Park.
Distribution of the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike - Range Map
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  • Year-round
  • Migration
  • Breeding
  • Non-Breeding
Distribution of the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike

eBird and Macaulay Library

Recommended Citation

Allan, D. (2020). Yellow-crested Helmetshrike (Prionops alberti), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (J. del Hoyo, A. Elliott, J. Sargatal, D. A. Christie, and E. de Juana, Editors). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.yechel1.01
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