Helmet vanga

Species of bird

The helmet vanga (Euryceros prevostii) is a distinctive looking bird of the vanga family, Vangidae, and is classified in its own genus, Euryceros. It is mainly blue black, with rufous wings and a huge arched blue bill. It is restricted to lowland and lower montane rainforests of northeastern Madagascar. Its diet is composed of invertebrates, predominantly insects. The species is threatened by habitat loss.

The helmet vanga is the only member of the genus Euryceros. Like most vangas it was originally placed in the shrike family, Laniidae. When the ornithologist Austin L. Rand moved the majority of the vangas into a separate family in 1936, he placed the helmet vanga in its own monotypic family, Eurycerotidae. It was moved to the vanga family by J. Dorst in 1960. The closest relative within the family is believed to be the rufous vanga, which is thought to have split from the helmet vanga 800,000 years ago. The specific name prevostii commemorates the French artist Florent Prévost.

The helmet vanga is a large vanga, the second largest species of vanga after the sickle billed vanga. In length it measures , and it weighs The most distinctive feature is the massive hooked bill, which is long and deep.

The helmet vanga is considered to be threatened with extinction due to habitat loss. The species is restricted to undisturbed humid rainforest, and this habitat is increasingly being cleared for agriculture and forestry. Their population, between 6000 15000 mature individuals, is becoming increasingly fragmented. Ecological modelling suggests that much of their remaining habitat will be lost in 50 years due to climate change. Because of these issues the species has been listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.