The bushshrikes are smallish passerine bird species. They were formerly classed with the true Shrikes in the family Lanidae, but are now considered sufficiently distinctive to be separated from that group as the family Malaconotidae.

This is an African group of species which are found in scrub or open woodland. They are similar in habits to shrikes, hunting insects and other small prey from a perch on a bush. Although similar in build to the shrikes, these tend to be either colourful species or largely black; some species are quite secretive.

Some bushshrikes have flamboyant displays. The male puffbacks puff out the loose feathers on their rump and lower back, to look almost ball-like.

These are mainly insectivorous forest or scrub birds. Up to four eggs are laid in a cup nest in a tree.

• Family: Malaconotidae
  • Brubru, Nilaus afer
  • Northern Puffback, Dryoscopus gambensis
  • Pringle's Puffback, Dryoscopus pringlii
  • Black-backed Puffback, Dryoscopus cubla
  • Red-eyed Puffback, Dryoscopus senegalensis
  • Pink-footed Puffback, Dryoscopus angolensis
  • Large-billed Puffback, Dryoscopus sabini
  • Marsh Tchagra, Tchagra minuta
  • Black-crowned Tchagra, Tchagra senegala
  • Brown-crowned Tchagra, Tchagra australis
  • Three-streaked Tchagra, Tchagra jamesi
  • Southern Tchagra, Tchagra tchagra
  • Red-naped Bushshrike, Laniarius ruficeps
  • Luehder's Bushshrike, Laniarius luehderi
  • Bulo Burti Boubou, Laniarius liberatus
  • Turati's Boubou, Laniarius turatii
  • Tropical Boubou, Laniarius aethiopicus
  • Gabon Boubou, Laniarius bicolor
  • Southern Boubou, Laniarius ferrugineus
  • Yellow-crowned Gonolek, Laniarius barbarus
  • Black-headed Gonolek, Laniarius erythrogaster
  • Crimson-breasted Gonolek, Laniarius atrococcineus
  • Papyrus Gonolek, Laniarius mufumbiri
  • Yellow-breasted Boubou, Laniarius atroflavus
  • Slate-colored Boubou, Laniarius funebris
  • Sooty Boubou, Laniarius leucorhynchus
  • Fuelleborn's Boubou, Laniarius fuelleborni
  • Rosy-patched Bushshrike, Rhodophoneus cruentus
  • Bokmakierie, Telophorus zeylonus
  • Grey-green Bushshrike, Telophorus bocagei
  • Sulphur-breasted Bushshrike, Telophorus sulfureopectus
  • Olive Bushshrike, Telophorus olivaceus
  • Many-colored Bushshrike, Telophorus multicolor
  • Black-fronted Bushshrike, Telophorus nigrifrons
  • Mt. Kupe Bushshrike, Telophorus kupeensis
  • Four-colored Bushshrike, Telophorus viridis
  • Doherty's Bushshrike, Telophorus dohertyi
  • Fiery-breasted Bushshrike, Malaconotus cruentus
  • Lagden's Bushshrike, Malaconotus lagdeni
  • Green-breasted Bushshrike, Malaconotus gladiator
  • Grey-headed Bushshrike, Malaconotus blanchoti
  • Monteiro's Bushshrike, Malaconotus monteiri
  • Uluguru Bushshrike, Malaconotus alius