Brown Shrike

Lanius cristatus

Silhouette: Andy Wilson · PhyloPic

Least ConcernNear ThreatenedVulnerableEndangeredCritically Endangered

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

at Wadden Sea National Park

1 Verified sightings at Wadden Sea National Park 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 Wadden Sea National Park

Lanius collurio

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lanius excubitor

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lanius isabellinus

Daily sighting probability <5% · Rare

Lanius minor

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Lanius senator

Daily sighting probability Insufficient data

Corvus corone

Daily sighting probability ~70% · Very likely

Turdus merula

Daily sighting probability ~60% · Likely

Sturnus vulgaris

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Parus major

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Fringilla coelebs

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Cyanistes caeruleus

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

Erithacus rubecula

Daily sighting probability ~50% · Likely

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

← Back to Wadden Sea National Park

Brown Shrike

About the Brown Shrike

Recent sightings of Brown Shrike in Wadden Sea National Park

Closest Relatives at Wadden Sea National Park

Red-backed Shrike

Great Grey Shrike

Isabelline Shrike

Lesser Grey Shrike

Woodchat Shrike

Carrion Crow

Eurasian Blackbird

European Starling

Great Tit

Chaffinch

Blue Tit

European Robin

Global Distribution

Parks Where Found