[2] The plumage of the head, neck, throat, breast and belly is a solid blue-black, as are the primary coverts and remiges of the wing.

Adults mainly eat large insects, but food items brought to young in the nest may be more varied, including snails, lizards, spiders and crabs.

Both sexes work on the construction of the nest, which is a cup shape 15 cm (5.9 in) in diameter constructed from woven plant fibres, mosses and twigs, and is placed in a fork in a tree 2 to 4 m (6.6–13.1 ft) off the ground.

[3] 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.

[1] Ecological modelling suggests that much of their remaining habitat will be lost in 50 years due to climate change.