Bocage's bushshrike, also known as the grey-green bushshrike, is a species of bird in the family Malaconotidae. It is scatteredly present throughout central Africa. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forest and subtropical or tropical moist lowland forest.
Region
Central Africa
Typical Environment
Found patchily in subtropical and tropical forests, including moist lowland forest, dry forest, gallery forest, and well-wooded secondary growth. It favors dense tangles, vine-choked thickets, and edges where canopy breaks admit light. The species typically forages from the understory to mid-canopy, avoiding open habitats. It tolerates some habitat disturbance if dense cover remains and may occur along forest margins near clearings.
Altitude Range
Sea level to 1800 m
Climate Zone
Tropical
Ease of Keeping
Beginner friendly: 1/5
Named after the Portuguese naturalist José Vicente Barbosa du Bocage, this secretive bushshrike is more often heard than seen. Pairs commonly perform antiphonal duets, trading clear, whistled phrases from dense cover. It keeps to midstory thickets and forest edges, where its grey‑green plumage provides excellent camouflage.
Temperament
shy and skulking
Flight Pattern
short rapid wingbeats through dense cover
Social Behavior
Usually found singly or in pairs, maintaining territories within dense vegetation. Pairs often duet and stay in contact with soft calls while foraging. The nest is typically a well-hidden cup in thick shrubs or lianas, with both parents involved in care.
Migratory Pattern
Resident
Song Description
A series of clear, mellow whistles often delivered antiphonally by a pair, creating a conversational quality. Calls include sharp ‘chak’ notes and softer contact calls from within cover.
Plumage
Olive to grey-green upperparts with a contrasting greyer head and nape; underparts yellowish-olive to pale grey with a whitish throat. Feathers appear smooth and fairly uniform, with subtle shading rather than bold patterning.
Diet
Primarily hunts insects such as beetles, caterpillars, orthopterans, and spiders, gleaned from leaves and branches. It may occasionally take small vertebrates like tiny lizards or frogs. Prey is usually seized with quick, precise strikes from perches within dense foliage.
Preferred Environment
Forages in understory and midstory layers along forest edges, vine tangles, and dense secondary growth. It often works methodically through shaded thickets and may join mixed-species flocks along edges.
