Long-tailed Shrike

Description:

‘Long-tailed Shrike’ has dark grey head and mantle, and chestnut back and rump. Wings are blackish with small white primary patches, conspicuous in flight. Long tail is black and graduated. Outer tail feathers are rufous. Undertail is greyish. Underparts are whitish, with chestnut breast sides and flanks. Head is grey with black mask covering forehead, eyes and ear coverts. Strong, hooked bill is blackish grey. Eyes are brown. Legs and feet are grey. Both sexes are similar. Juvenile is duller than adult, with streaked body sides. Its song is known as melodious, and the bird is able to perform mimicries. Its alarm call is raucous and sharp “guerlek-guerlek”, followed by some barks “yaou-yaou”.

Habitat:

Scrubland. The “Long-tailed Shrike’s mask” reminds me of the “mask of Zorro” (animated character).

Notes:

This bird has a characteristic upright "shrike" attitude perched on a bush, from which it sallies after lizards, large insects, small birds and rodents. Prey may be impaled upon a sharp point, such as a thorn. Thus secured they can be ripped with the strong hooked bill, but its feet are not suited for tearing.