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m (Northern Shrike moved to Great Grey Shrike) |
(No difference)
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Revision as of 13:36, 7 April 2011
Alternative name: Northern Shrike
- Lanius excubitor
Identification
22-26 cm. Adult
- Grey head and back
- White belly, throat and chest
- Black wings with white patch
- Medium-long tail black with white outer feathers
- Black mask on face
- Distinctive stout, hooked bill
Juvenile
- Barred brown below
- Brownish wash above
Distribution
Northern Palearctic, Holarctic, and Oriental regions.
Taxonomy
Polytypic. Consists of nine subspecies.
Was formerly considered conspecific with Southern Grey Shrike.
Habitat
Upland forests and bogs.
Behaviour
Diet includes small mammals and birds and it often stores uneaten prey by impaling it on thorns. This habit has earned it the nickname "butcher bird". Northern Shrikes commonly hunt from a very high perch usually a tall tree top.
Vocalisation
Song
A complex and variable medley of short liquid trills, whistles, chatter and harsh notes and often mimic the calls and songs of other birds such as Blue Jays, Gray Catbirds, American Robins, and Song Sparrows.
<flashmp3>Lanius excubitor (song).mp3</flashmp3>
Listen in an external program
Call
A harsh shek-shek, grating jaaeg, rapid rasping aak...aak, a sharp metallic beek.
External Links
This link searches for Great Grey Shrike