Fauna
Bird · GBIF taxon 7745240

Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Red-backed Shrikes are sturdy songbirds with hooked bills and long tails. Adult males show rusty backs, gray heads, and black eye masks, while females and young birds are browner with fine crescent-shaped barring.

shrikethorn-scrubmigrant
Red-backed Shrike reference1 / 7
Licensed referenceAntonios Tsaknakis / CC BY-SA 4.0 · cc-by-sa
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & prey
  • beetles
  • grasshoppers
  • small lizards
Predators
  • hawks
  • owls
  • martens
ThreatsRemoval of hedges, pesticide-driven insect decline, intensive farming, and migration hazards
HabitatsOpen scrub, hedgerows, pasture edges, heath, young woodland, and thorny field margins
Life spanOften three to six years, with some ringed birds surviving longer
Classification
  1. FamilyLaniidae
  2. SpeciesLanius collurio
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Watch from paths and avoid approaching prey stores, display perches, or nests.
Responsible observation
  • Identify: Look for a hooked bill and, on males, a black mask with a rusty back.
  • Watch: Scan exposed thorn tips and fence posts above rough grassland.
Related species

Related species have not been added yet.

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