Great Grey Shrike

Lanius excubitor

The "butcher bird" strikes fear in small prey with its hooked bill and habit of impaling victims on thorns.

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Visual Identification

Appearance

The Great Grey Shrike is a medium-sized passerine with a distinctive appearance. It has a pale grey body, white underparts, and a striking black mask across its eyes. The wings are black with white patches, and the tail is long and black with white outer feathers.

Females have the same markings as males and may be indistinguishable from a distance, but on closer inspection, they have a slightly brownish wash.

Juveniles show a duller plumage and faint barring on the underparts. The bird maintains its plumage year-round, with no significant seasonal changes.

Size

Length

22cm to 26cm

Wingspan

30cm to 36cm

Weight

60g to 70g

Colours

Males and females have similar plumage

Primary Colour

Grey White Black

Beak Colour

Black

Leg Colour

Black

Habitat and Distribution

Habitats

Woodland

The Great Grey Shrike can be found in Woodland habitats.

Garden

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Garden habitats.

Wetland

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Wetland habitats.

Coastal

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Coastal habitats.

Urban

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Urban habitats.

Farmland

The Great Grey Shrike can be found in Farmland habitats.

Grassland

The Great Grey Shrike can be found in Grassland habitats.

Desert

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Desert habitats.

Tundra

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Tundra habitats.

Rainforest

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Rainforest habitats.

Mountain

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Mountain habitats.

Savanna

The Great Grey Shrike is not typically found in Savanna habitats.

Distribution

Great Grey Shrikes inhabit open landscapes with scattered trees and shrubs, including woodland edges, heathland, and farmland. They are found across northern Europe, Asia, and North America, with a preference for boreal and temperate regions.

In the UK, they are primarily winter visitors arriving from Scandinavia. Small numbers can be spotted in suitable habitats across England and Scotland from October to March.

Elevation Range

Sea level to 2,800 meters

Climate zones

Temperate, Subarctic

Distribution Map

This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Great Grey Shrike. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.

A few things to keep in mind:

Birds might not be everywhere in the coloured areas, for example, they may be present around the coast of that country
Where birds live can change with seasons and available food
This map is quite simple - it doesn't show exact locations

We're working on making our maps even better! Soon, we hope to show you:

More detailed maps for bigger countries, including state and region
How birds move around during different seasons