Angola Helmetshrike Prionops gabela Scientific name definitions

18–19 cm. Has head and neck to upper chest glossy black , slight crest on forecrown to lores projecting over beak; mantle and scapulars to rump grey, tinged brown, long black uppertail-coverts; remiges and outer primary coverts black, outer primaries with white central spots forming bar (visible in flight), inner upperwing-coverts grey; tail black, outer feathers with broad white tips, white decreasing in extent on inner tail feathers towards central pair, which narrowly tipped white; lower chest and upper belly grey, lower belly to undertail-coverts white, underwing-coverts and axillaries dark grey; iris yellow, conspicuous broad orange-red orbital ring with scalloped fringe (especially above eye); bill red, tipped orange-yellow; legs orange-red. Distinguished from very similar P. retzii by smaller size, grey (not black) lower breast and upper belly, crest projecting forwards over beak, and less pronounced wingbar restricted to outer primaries. Sexes similar; primary patch possibly smaller on female. Juvenile largely grey-brown above and below, with buff feather tips on upperparts, wing feathers often with narrow white tips, no orbital ring, eyes dark, bill blackish, legs yellow-orange.

W Angola from Chio S along and below escarpment to S of Gabela (between Kumbira and Seles (1 Ryan, P.G., Sinclair, I., Cohen, C., Mills, M.S.L., Spottiswoode, C.N. and Cassidy, R. (2004). The conservation status and vocalisations of threatened birds from the scarp forest of Cuanza Sul, Angola. Bird Conserv. Int. 14(4): 247–260. Close ) ).

Dry forest, gallery forest and secondary forest, also thickets and clearings, including coffee plantations in forest. Absent from nearby Brachystegia inhabited by P. retzii. Mainly 100–900 m; most recent records from dry forest at c. 300 m.

No information. Probably mainly resident, but records from dry thicket and open woodlands below escarpment suggest some post-breeding wandering.

Diet insects, including larvae. Usually forages in canopy. Lives and forages in tightly knit groups of 3–8 individuals.

Almost unknown. Churring and clicking notes similar to those of P. retzii.

Egg-laying apparently Jun–Sept. Likely co-operative breeder. No other information.

ENDANGERED. Restricted range species: present in Western Angola EBA. A very poorly known species. Has very small, fragmented range of c. 4600 km², and probably very small and declining population of c. 1000–2500 individuals. Previously known only from Gabela area, Londa, Mumbondo, and Roça Cassembo, and not uncommon in Amboim Forest. No records since 1970s until 2003, when group of eight individuals found in open woodland between Kumbira and Seles, at base of escarpment. In 2005, ten groups located in Kissama, Bimbe and Bango regions at elevation of 300 m, and away from base of escarpment. Threatened by habitat clearance by subsistence farmers, mainly for charcoal production but also for bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava, coffee and maize. In Gabela area, c. 30% of forest cleared prior to 1992 and large areas of forest currently being cleared for agriculture. This species is, however, tolerant of some habitat modification. With end of hostilities, human development in this area expected to be rapid. Relict coffee plantations, abandoned after onset of civil war in mid-1970s, now being encroached upon by subsistence agriculture; commercial activities on Angolan escarpment almost certain to resume, including probable replacement of shade coffee with sun-tolerant varieties. Although marketing of local produce restricted by poor state of the Sumbe-Gabela road, this route is scheduled for early reconstruction, which would lead to increased development and agriculture in region. This species' range includes Kissama National Park.