The six species, all of fairly uniform appearance and habits, are native to various parts of sub-Saharan Africa.

[4] Characteristically, the long, loose and pale feathers of the male bird's back and rump are puffed out conspicuously during display.

[6] They move about in pairs in the upper strata of trees (Pringle's excepting) and may join mixed-species flocks.

The nest is a neat compact cup in the general fashion of bushshrikes, but similar to those of shrike-flycatchers.

DNA-DNA hybridization studies suggest that genus Tchagra is their closest relative, though biological traits also link them to Laniarius, shrike-flycatchers (i.e.