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noun
A shrike-like songbird found in Madagascar.
- ‘Rufous vangas live in groups of four to eight, and may join in mixed-species feeding flocks with other vangas or with bird species other than vangas.’
- ‘This species, like all vangas is endemic to Madagascar, where it is found only in the northeast.’
- ‘Traditionally, vangas were considered to be an endemic family to Madagascar, with just 14 species.’
- ‘The coral-billed nuthatch belongs to a family of birds called the vanga shrikes, found only on Madagascar.’
- ‘We'll see endemic birds like vangas of many types, couas, asitys, weavers, jerys, sunbirds, and Blue Pigeons.’
Origin
Mid 19th century: modern Latin (genus name), from Latin, literally ‘mattock’ (because of the shape of the bill).
