Page 362 - Complete Birds of Britain and Europe (DK - RSPB)

SHRIKES
Order Passeriformes Family Laniidae Species Lanius minor
Lesser Grey Shrike

white patch scaly grey black mask extends thick black
on black crown over forehead (less bill
wings
narrow black so on female)
mask
scaly grey
back
ADULT grey, black, and
medium white above
grey back

IN FLIGHT
JUVENILE
pink
underside
FLIGHT: flies low, quite strong but undulating, with
deep wingbeats; upward swoop to perch.
he Lesser Grey wingtips extend
TShrike, like several down to tail
other black, white, and MALE
grey species, is a striking, neat-looking, handsome bird.
Usually quite obvious, it behaves like other shrikes in
perching on open perches much of the time (but, like
them, can be frustratingly elusive on occasions). It frequently
flies out to chase prey, or drops to the ground with a flurry
of white-barred wings. It is the southeastern counterpart of
the Great Grey Shrike,preferring warm,dry summer climates
and migrating to Africa in winter. In parts of eastern
Europe, migrants follow long lines of trees beside roads in
areas that are otherwise open, treeless croplands. Shrikes have
strong claws to catch and hold prey and use their hooked
bills to kill and tear up small birds and voles. Food may be
impaled on thorns to make it easier to deal with.
VOICE Short, hard tchek tchek; brief, bright, screaming note
serves as song often given in hovering flight.
NESTING Untidy structure of grass and twigs high in bush
or tree; 5–7 eggs; 1 brood; May–June.
FEEDING Watches from high perch such as overhead wire SPRING MALE
and drops onto lizards, beetles, and small birds. The male Lesser Grey Shrike looks handsome with his bold mask
and pink underside.
SIMILAR SPECIES OCCURRENCE
Breeds in extreme S France, Italy,
GREAT GREY SHRIKE pale and more widely in Balkans and
see p.359 forehead E Europe. Seen from March to
larger
shorter browner September, chiefly in open places
wings more scaly with scattered trees, bushes,
orchards, and avenues, and in
WOODCHAT SHRIKE woodland edges.
juvenile, similar
longer to juvenile; Seen in the UK
tail see p.358 slimmer bill JF M A M J JA S ON D
Length 19–21cm (7 1 ⁄2 –8 1 ⁄2in) Wingspan 30cm (12in) Weight 30g (1 1 ⁄16oz)
Social Solitary Lifespan 3–5 years Status Declining†
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