Hook-billed Vanga Vanga curvirostris Scientific name definitions

25–29 cm; 53·5–80·5 g. A medium-sized vanga with long hook-tipped bill , legs long and sturdy. Nominate race has area from eye and central crown back to upper nape glossy black, rest of head and neck, including nuchal collar, white; upperparts black, median and greater upperwing-coverts with wide white outer fringes and tips (forming white panel on closed wing  ), primaries and secondaries with narrower white fringes; basal two-thirds of tail  mid-grey, subterminal band black, tip white; underparts white; iris very dark brown; bill black , small silvery spot near tip, length 25–30 mm; legs dark blue-grey. Sexes similar. Juvenile is similar to adult, but black of upperparts variably marked with brown, base of bill initially grey. Race cetera differs from nominate in tending to have bill longer (27–30 mm) and thinner, black on head  reaches to mid-crown but does not extend to lower nape, making white nape-collar broader, abdomen greyish-white.

Editor's Note: This article requires further editing work to merge existing content into the appropriate Subspecies sections. Please bear with us while this update takes place.

Editor's Note: Additional distribution information for this taxon can be found in the 'Subspecies' article above. In the future we will develop a range-wide distribution article.

Various original forest types, dense scrub, degraded and primary forests, areas around villages, also plantations far from forest. Nominate race occurs in evergreen humid forest and degraded areas and plantations in lowlands; cetera in spiny forest. Sea-level to 1500 m, although scarce above c. 1000 m.

Probably sedentary.

Large insects; also small vertebrates, including medium-sized chameleons (Chamaeleonidae), frogs, small birds, bird eggs, and even young Microcebus lemurs. Spends long intervals motionless, watching for prey; also searches for food by slowly inspecting branches and snatching items. Wedges chameleons into horizontal forks and pulls off limbs, before consuming them. Usually solitary, sometimes in pairs; also in mixed-species flocks of vangas or other forest species.

Song a very penetrating, high-pitched whistle, "te-ew", c. 2 seconds in duration, repeated monotonously at regular short intervals in early morning; somewhat ventriloquial. Often, two individuals counter-sing. Call in W of range usually "karr-karr-karr" (accompanied by two or three loud bill-claps) followed by angry "tew-tew-tew-tew"; in E & S often just the last part ("tew" notes). Contact call a quiet "pew".

Season Oct–Jan in NW (Ampijoroa). Monogamous. Nest built by two individuals (presumed male and female), a bulky cup-shaped structure consisting of dead leaves, covered with spider webs and mosses, usually 3–10 m above ground in fork of tree. Clutch 3 eggs, white and densely covered with small wine-red spots; incubation  by both sexes, period c. 22–24 days; chicks brooded and fed by both sexes, nestling period c. 20–22 days.

Not globally threatened. Nominate race rather thinly scattered in evergreen humid forest and degraded areas and plantations in lowlands and is more common in W. S race cetera is common from R Mangoky S & E to near Tôlanaro. As this species is not strictly bound to undisturbed forest, its survival is considered not at any immediate risk.