Red-backed Shrike
Lanius collurio
Silhouette: Zeynel Cebeci · PhyloPic
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Chordates)
- ClassAves (Birds)
- OrderPasseriformes (Perching Birds)
- FamilyLaniidae (Shrikes)
- GenusLanius (Typical Shrikes)
- SpeciesLanius collurio (Red-backed Shrike)
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 →
Recent sightings of Red-backed Shrike in South Luangwa National Park
LIVEiNaturalistClosest Relatives at South Luangwa National Park
Northern Fiscal
Lanius humeralis
Lesser Grey Shrike
Lanius minor
Sousa's Shrike
Lanius souzae
Meves's Glossy-starling
Lamprotornis mevesii
White-browed Sparrow-Weaver
Plocepasser mahali
Common Bulbul
Pycnonotus barbatus
Fork-tailed Drongo
Dicrurus adsimilis
Tropical Boubou
Laniarius major
Blue-breasted Cordonbleu
Uraeginthus angolensis
African Pied Wagtail
Motacilla aguimp
White-browed Robin-Chat
Cossypha heuglini
Black-backed Puffback
Dryoscopus cubla
Global Distribution
Warmer areas are where this animal is recorded most often.
Parks Where Found
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Red-backed Shrike in South Luangwa National Park?
About 10% of wildlife watchers report a Red-backed Shrike sighting in South Luangwa National Park, based on 67 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Red-backed Shrike in South Luangwa National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Red-backed Shrike in South Luangwa National Park in our monthly data.