Red-backed Shrike

Lanius collurio

Silhouette: Zeynel Cebeci · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
PhylumChordata (Chordates)
ClassAves (Birds)
OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
FamilyLaniidae (Shrikes)
GenusLanius (Typical Shrikes)
SpeciesLanius collurio (Red-backed Shrike)

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Namib-Naukluft National Park

5 Verified sightings at Namib-Naukluft National Park From 2019 to 2026

12,680 Verified sightings across all 71 parks From 2019 to 2026

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

About the Red-backed Shrike

The red-backed shrike (Lanius collurio) is a carnivorous passerine bird and member of the shrike family, Laniidae. Its breeding range stretches from Western Europe east to central Russia. It is migratory and winters in the eastern areas of tropical Africa and southern Africa.

The red-backed shrike was formally described by the Swedish naturalist Carl Linnaeus in 1758 in the tenth edition of his Systema Naturae under its current binomial name Lanius collurio. 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 collurio is from Ancient Greek kollurion, a bird mentioned by Aristotle. The common English name "shrike" is from Middle English *schrike, *schryke, from Old English sċrīc, "shriek", from the same root as shriek and screech, referring to the bird's shrill cry or call.

This 16–18 cm-long (6.3–7.1 in) migratory bird eats large insects, small birds, frogs, rodents and lizards. Like other shrikes it hunts from prominent perches, and impales corpses on thorns or barbed wire as a "larder." This practice has earned it the nickname of "butcher... Wikipedia →

Closest Relatives at Namib-Naukluft National Park

Lanius collaris

Daily sighting probability ~20% · Possible

Lanius minor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Eurocephalus anguitimens

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

LC Endemic

Passer melanurus

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Motacilla capensis

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Pycnonotus nigricans

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Oenanthe familiaris

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Cinnyris fuscus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Ploceus velatus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Corvus albus

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Onychognathus nabouroup

Daily sighting probability ~30% · Possible

Ptyonoprogne fuligula

Daily sighting probability ~30% · 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	Fertő-Hanság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~50%
2	Hortobágy National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~40%
3	Białowieża National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~30%
4	Kiskunság National Park	🇭🇺 Hungary	~30%
5	Ecrins National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
6	Tsavo West National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~20%
7	Biebrza National Park	🇵🇱 Poland	~20%
8	Plitvice Lakes National Park	🇭🇷 Croatia	~20%
9	Kruger National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
10	Kafue National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~20%
11	Mana Pools National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~20%
12	Hluhluwe-Imfolozi Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~20%
13	Cévennes National Park	🇫🇷 France	~20%
14	Hwange National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	~10%
15	Aigüestortes National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
16	Pilanesberg National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
17	Ordesa y Monte Perdido National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
18	Moremi Game Reserve	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
19	Triglav National Park	🇸🇮 Slovenia	~10%
20	Pyrénées National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
21	Awash National Park	🇪🇹 Ethiopia	~10%
22	Tsavo East National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
23	Bavarian Forest National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	~10%
24	Liwonde National Park	🇲🇼 Malawi	~10%
25	Mkomazi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
26	Chobe National Park	🇧🇼 Botswana	~10%
27	Lake Manyara National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
28	Tarangire National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
29	Samburu National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
30	Serengeti National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
31	South Luangwa National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
32	Mercantour National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
33	Nairobi National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
34	Ngorongoro Conservation Area	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
35	Picos de Europa National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	~10%
36	Meru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	~10%
37	Tatra National Park	🇸🇰 Slovakia	~10%
38	Ruaha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
39	Mikumi National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	~10%
40	Gorongosa National Park	🇲🇿 Mozambique	~10%
41	Lower Zambezi National Park	🇿🇲 Zambia	~10%
42	Vanoise National Park	🇫🇷 France	~10%
43	Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	~10%
44	Hohe Tauern National Park	🇦🇹 Austria	<5%
45	Gonarezhou National Park	🇿🇼 Zimbabwe	<5%
46	Sierra de Guadarrama National Park	🇪🇸 Spain	<5%
47	Waterberg Plateau Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
48	Lake Nakuru National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
49	Amboseli National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
50	Etosha National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	<5%
51	Murchison Falls National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
52	Arusha National Park	🇹🇿 Tanzania	<5%
53	iSimangaliso Wetland Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
54	Akagera National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	<5%
55	Masai Mara National Reserve	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
56	Addo Elephant National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	<5%
57	Aberdare National Park	🇰🇪 Kenya	<5%
58	Wadden Sea National Park	🇩🇪 Germany	<5%
59	Gauja National Park	🇱🇻 Latvia	<5%
60	Camargue	🇫🇷 France	<5%
61	Lake Mburo National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
62	Queen Elizabeth National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
63	Vatnajokull National Park	🇮🇸 Iceland	<5%
64	Kibale National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	<5%
65	Virunga National Park	🇨🇩 Democratic Republic of the Congo	<5%
66	Selous Game Reserve	🇹🇿 Tanzania	Insufficient data
67	Semuliki National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
68	Namib-Naukluft National Park	🇳🇦 Namibia	Insufficient data
69	Bwindi Impenetrable National Park	🇺🇬 Uganda	Insufficient data
70	Nyungwe National Park	🇷🇼 Rwanda	Insufficient data
71	Table Mountain National Park	🇿🇦 South Africa	Insufficient data

← Back to Namib-Naukluft National Park

Red-backed Shrike

About the Red-backed Shrike

Recent sightings of Red-backed Shrike in Namib-Naukluft National Park

Closest Relatives at Namib-Naukluft National Park

Southern Fiscal

Lesser Grey Shrike

Southern White-crowned Shrike

Cape Sparrow

Cape Wagtail

African Red-eyed Bulbul

Familiar Chat

Dusky Sunbird

Southern Masked Weaver

Pied Crow

Pale-winged Starling

Rock Martin

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found