Brown Shrike

Lanius cristatus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

1 Verified sightings at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary From 2019 to 2026

6,307 Verified sightings across all 43 parks From 2019 to 2026

☀️ Diurnal When it's spotted during daytime hours (6am–6pm)

About the Brown Shrike

The brown shrike (Lanius cristatus) is a bird in the shrike family that is found mainly in Asia. It is closely related to the red-backed shrike (L. collurio) and isabelline shrike (L. isabellinus). The genus name, Lanius, is derived from the Latin word for "butcher", and some shrikes are also known as "butcher birds" because of their feeding habits. The specific cristatus is Latin for "crested", used in a broader sense than in English. The common English name "shrike" is from Old English scríc, "shriek", referring to the shrill call.

Like most other shrikes, it has a distinctive black "bandit-mask" through the eye and is found mainly in open scrub habitats, where it perches on the tops of thorny bushes in search of prey. Several populations of this widespread species form distinctive subspecies which breed in temperate Asia and migrate to their winter quarters in tropical Asia. They are sometimes found as vagrants in Europe and North America.

In 1747 the English naturalist George Edwards included an illustration and a description of the brown shrike in the second volume of his A Natural History of Uncommon Birds. He used the English name "The Crested Red, or Russit Butcher... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

Lanius schach

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lanius tigrinus

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Corvus enca

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Cymbirhynchus macrorhynchos

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Acridotheres javanicus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Orthotomus ruficeps

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Rhipidura javanica

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Copsychus stricklandii

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Trichastoma rostratum

Daily sighting probability ~40% · Likely

Eurylaimus ochromalus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cyornis turcosus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Pitta sordida

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

See all 12 relatives Show fewer

Global Distribution

Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.

Parks Where Found

#	Park	Country	Daily sighting probability
1	Yala National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~40%
2	Wilpattu National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~30%
3	Sinharaja Forest Reserve	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~30%
4	Periyar National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
5	Khao Yai National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~20%
6	Minneriya National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
7	Mudumalai National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
8	Horton Plains National Park	🇱🇰 Sri Lanka	~20%
9	Kanha National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
10	Eravikulam National Park	🇮🇳 India	~20%
11	Nagarhole National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
12	Kaziranga National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
13	Cat Tien National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~10%
14	Bandhavgarh National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
15	Kaeng Krachan National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
16	Khao Sok National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
17	Sundarbans National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
18	Doi Inthanon National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	~10%
19	Chitwan National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
20	Bandipur National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
21	Cuc Phuong National Park	🇻🇳 Vietnam	~10%
22	Manas National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
23	Keoladeo National Park	🇮🇳 India	~10%
24	Royal Bardia National Park	🇳🇵 Nepal	~10%
25	Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park	🇲🇳 Mongolia	<5%
26	Royal Manas National Park	🇧🇹 Bhutan	<5%
27	Way Kambas National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
28	Khao Luang National Park	🇹🇭 Thailand	<5%
29	Satpura National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
30	Gunung Leuser National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	<5%
31	Taroko National Park	🇹🇼 Taiwan	<5%
32	Namdapha National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
33	Taman Negara National Park	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
34	Jim Corbett National Park	🇮🇳 India	<5%
35	Danum Valley Conservation Area	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
36	Sepilok	🇲🇾 Malaysia	<5%
37	Khangchendzonga National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
38	Jiuzhaigou National Park	🇨🇳 China	Insufficient data
39	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	Insufficient data
40	Gir National Park	🇮🇳 India	Insufficient data
41	Kerinci Seblat National Park	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
42	Tangkoko Nature Reserve	🇮🇩 Indonesia	Insufficient data
43	Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary	🇲🇾 Malaysia	Insufficient data

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Brown Shrike

About the Brown Shrike

Recent sightings of Brown Shrike in Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

Closest Relatives at Kinabatangan Wildlife Sanctuary

Long-tailed Shrike

Tiger Shrike

Slender-billed Crow

Black-and-red Broadbill

Javan Myna

Ashy Tailorbird

Malaysian Pied-Fantail

White-crowned Shama

White-chested Babbler

Black-and-yellow Broadbill

Malaysian Blue-Flycatcher

Hooded Pitta

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found