Red-naped Bushshrike Laniarius ruficeps Scientific name definitions

18–19 cm; one male 35 g, female 29–33·4 g. Male nominate race has forehead black, crown, nape and hindneck bright orange-rufous or rufous-red, well-defined long white superciliary stripe from bill to side of neck (broadest above nostril); lores and area just above and below eye black, ear-coverts glossy black, narrow black stripe down side of neck joining ear-coverts and scapulars; mantle bluish-grey in mid-line, paling towards side of neck, upper back ash-grey, feathers of scapulars and lower back jet-black with bluish gloss and large white subterminal spots; rump feathers silky and fluffy, white with dark grey bases and narrow blackish tips, uppertail-coverts black; tail black, all except central two feather pairs with white terminal patch 10 mm deep, outermost rectrix also with white outer web; upperwing black, broad white longitudinal stripe formed by white median coverts, three inner greater coverts, and outer webs of three innermost secondaries; entirely creamy white below, side of breast and flanks washed with pale pink-buff; marginal and lesser underwing-coverts creamy white, greater under primary coverts dusky; iris hazel-brown; bill black; legs blue-grey or slate-grey, soles whitish. Female differs from male in having back olive-grey, not ash-grey. Juvenile lacks black facial mask, has ear-coverts dusky, indistinct pale supercilium, forehead to back uniformly olive-grey, scapulars brown with buffy tips (giving barred appearance), primary coverts and outer greater coverts brown with well-defined narrow buff edges and tips, tail greyish-olive, outer two rectrices broadly tipped and edged rufous-brown, underparts buffy brown-grey, throat and middle of belly whitish. Race <em>rufinuchalis</em> is similar to nominate, but black of forehead extends onto crown , so that only nape and hindneck are orange-rufous, breast and flanks buffy rufous; kismayensis is like previous, but mantle pale grey, extent of black on forehead and crown apparently variable.

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Not well known; varied, described as creaking (like sound of fishing reel), and harsh cawing very like main call of Pied Crow (Corvus albus). Song a short duet initiated apparently by either sex, a low-pitched "cheeo-oo" whistle or guttural snoring "gwaaar" or "grrrra" followed instantly by loud ticking or clicking in descending series, "grrrra-tktktktktktktk"; solo song or call a repeated low-pitched "kwoi" or longer "whooi"; alarm a loud burst of clicking and harsh scolds; clicks and explosive calls said to be like those of L. barbarus.