About the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike
The yellow-crested helmetshrike or King Albert's helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae. This large, striking helmetshrike is unique in its black plumage and bright yellow crest. Though this species has been encountered broadly across the mountains of the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, there is still much to learn about this species. It is rarely reported due to the majority of its distribution occurring in relatively remote regions within the Albertine Rift, an area with ongoing armed conflict.
Text adapted from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
ID tip
Adults are generally all black with a bright yellow or gold crest (sometimes described as a "helmet"), with the yellow extending across the entire top half of the head above the eyeline and extending backwards behind the eye. The greenish-yellow irides are surrounded by an orange eye-wattle; the bill, like the plumage, is black, though the legs and feet are reported to be light red. Individuals can be quite variable in terms of crest color, ranging from grayish-white to pale yellowish to bright gold, with variation possibly attributable either to individual variation or to wear. Voice: The call has been described as a two-parted "tlu-uk" or "clu-uk" in the field, repeated as many as six times. Responds strongly to alarm calls from other individuals.
Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
When to see it
Peak activity in December · a summer visitor species across most of its range
Easily confused with
Rufous-bellied HelmetshrikePrionops rufiventrisIt is 20–22 cm long.
Grey-crested HelmetshrikePrionops poliolophusThe gray-crested helmetshrike is a species of bird in the Vanga family Vangidae, formerly usually included in the Malaconotidae.
Learn the Yellow-crested Helmetshrike for real
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