ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the birds comes under the family Prionopidae: Helmet Shrikes, Grey-crested helmet shrike, Retz's helmet shrike, Chestnut-fronted helmet shrike and White-crowned shrike. The Helmet Shrike forms part of a species-group with the Grey-crested Helmet Shrike (HM), which replaces it in parts of the highlands and their peripheral plateaux. In the arid country of Tsavo E 101B, the Helmet Shrike occupies well vegetated habitats with the exception of riverine growth, where Retz's Helmet Shrike occurs (La). In direct contrast to the Helmet Shrike, the Grey-crested's range is 72% within 500–1000 mm rainfall areas and 81% subhumid-humid. The Chestnut-fronted is probably closely related to Retz's Helmet Shrike, which is generally in rather drier vegetation (HM), and which is less widely distributed and frequent than the Chestnut-fronted in Sokoke Forest 102B.
