The book covers the identification, biology and relationships of all true shrikes, bush-shrikes, helmet-shrikes, the closely related shrike flycatchers, philentomas, batises and wattle-eyes.

This book offers information on 114 species in 21 genera within the families Laniidae and Malaconotidae. For each genus, acoustic and visual signals are summarized and used to map similarities.

The detailed species account for the bulk of the book, providing knowledge on field identification, plumage descriptions, geographical variation, moult, distribution, movements. general and foraging behaviour, food, sounds and breeding behaviour.