Tchagra senegalus
Black-crowned Tchagra
A colourful, unmistakable bushshrike with a black crown and eye-stripes separated by a broad white supercilium, pale grey underparts, chestnut wing panels and a black tail tipped white. It inhabits scrub, open woodland and cultivated land, and is a familiar bird of Gambian gardens and farmland edges, with a distinctive descending whistled song.
Identification
The black crown bordered by a bold white supercilium, chestnut wing coverts and white-tipped black tail separate it from other West African tchagras such as the Brown-crowned Tchagra, which has a rufous-brown crown and lacks the strong white supercilium contrast.
Want to see the Black-crowned Tchagra?
Join Yaya on a trip to one of the sites below, or ask about an itinerary built around it — he'll help you plan the best way to find it in the field.
Tours that target this bird
A carefully paced 15-day tour from the Atlantic coast through the mangrove-lined River Gambia and into the eastern part of the country, balancing serious birding with rest, wildlife and Gambian culture. Around 300 species are possible depending on season.
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A comprehensive birding, wildlife and nature tour combining the finest habitats of The Gambia with Northern Senegal's Saloum Delta — coastal wetlands, mangroves, woodland, rice fields, savannah and riverine forest, plus a boat excursion to the Scissor-tailed Kite colony at Kousmar.
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