Great grey shrike

Lanius excubitor
Shrikes (Laniidae)

CC-BY 2.0 rights : Ingrid Taylar

A grey back and cap, white to pink belly, black eye band looking like a mask. A long black tail and short black wings with a white marking.

Often seen at the top of a tree or pole wagging its long tail. Larger prey like mice and small birds are impaled on thorns or branches, typical for LANIIDAE (Shrikes) but this one does it the most often. 

⇔ l. 24-25 cm

syn. Northern Grey Shrike, Northern Shrike

Partly migratory, the northern breeding individuals migrate.

LA:
≈ The LANIUS MINOR (Lesser Grey Shrike) has the black eye band continuing on its forehead. 
≈ The LANIUS COLLURIO (Red-backed shrike) is darker in colour and with a black beak. The Red-backed shrike ♂ has a grey head and brown back. 
≈ The LANIUS MERIDIONALIS (Southern grey shrike) is nowadays seen as separate species and is larger and with a pinkish belly. See photo LA.

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