Northern White-crowned Shrike

Eurocephalus rueppellii

Other Pics: Northern White-crowned Shrike nesting

Other Names

  White-crowned Shrike, Rüppell's White-crowned Shrike, White-rumped Shrike   Eurocéphale de Rüppell   Rüppellwürger     Rüppels vitkronstörnskata     Averla groppabianca

World: E Africa from southern Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia and S through Kenya to southern Tanzania.

Kenya: Common and widespread below 1600m across all the country except the wetter regions of the western Kenyan border and from the coast to the South of Malindi.

An easily identified bird which shows a conspicuous white rump in flight. The head markings are very distinctive as is the broad, dark neck patch which extends under the eye and is somewhat reminiscent of an upturned collar. This is a somewhat more sedentary bird than the other Helmet-Shrikes, often perching in the same place for quite long periods of time. Some authorities put this bird in the family Laniidae (true shrikes).

More information on Helmet-shrikes at Bird Families of the World.