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Isabelline Shrike

Isabelline Shrike

Lanius isabellinus

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The Isabelline Shrike is a migratory shrike that breeds from the Caspian region to northern China and winters in eastern Africa and Arabia. Once lumped with the Red-backed and Red-tailed Shrikes, it is recognised by its pale sandy plumage and rufous tail. Like its relatives it is a bold predator of open, bushy country.

Did you know?

  • The genus name Lanius means “butcher” in Latin.
  • The colour name “isabelline”, greyish-yellow, is linked to a legend about Queen Isabella I of Castile.

About the species

Identification

A pale shrike with sandy-brown upperparts, a bright rufous tail and, in the male, a clear black mask; the underparts are creamy with a pinkish tinge. Females and young have a brown mask and faint barring. Length 16–18 cm.

Family

Laniidae

Size

Small (sparrow)

Colours

brown, orange, white, black

About the habitat

Open, dry country with thorny bushes – semi-desert, steppe, farmland and scrub – that provide perches and impaling sites.

Diet

Mainly large insects, as well as small birds, rodents and lizards.

Behaviour

Hunts from prominent perches, swooping down on prey and often impaling it on thorns or barbed wire as a larder. It is fully migratory.

Sources

Photo: Pkspks, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Lanius isabellinus GRK.jpg

Text: Wikipedia (English), CC BY-SA 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isabelline_shrike

See also