This critically endangered fiscal shrike is found only on São Tomé, a small African island nation in the Gulf of Guinea. Shrikes are noted for their habit of catching insects and other prey and impaling uneaten portions on thorns. This bird prefers undisturbed lowland and middle-altitude primary rainforest, mainly under closed canopy. Historically, large areas of lowland and mid-altitude forest were cleared on São Tomé for cocoa and coffee plantations. Today, land privatisation is leading to an increase in the number of small farms and continued clearance of trees. Suitable habitat for this species, including that in protected areas, is affected by illegal logging and palm-wine harvesting activities. The current population of Newton’s fiscal is between 50 and 250 individuals.