Lanius collurio
The Red-backed Shrike is a striking small bird with a distinctive appearance. Males have a bluish-grey head, black eye mask, and reddish-brown back, while their underparts are pale pink. The tail is black with white outer edges.
Females are less colourful, with brown upperparts and barred underparts. Juveniles resemble females but have more extensive barring. Both sexes have a slightly hooked black bill and black legs. The females beak is slightly lighter in colour.
Length
16cm to 18cm
Wingspan
24cm to 27cm
Weight
25g to 36g
Woodland
Garden
Wetland
Coastal
Urban
Farmland
Grassland
Desert
Tundra
Rainforest
Mountain
Savanna
Red-backed Shrikes inhabit open areas with scattered bushes and trees, including woodland edges, hedgerows, and grasslands. They breed across much of Europe and western Asia, with a range extending from Portugal to central Siberia.
These birds are long-distance migrants, wintering in eastern and southern Africa. In the UK, they were once widespread but are now rare summer visitors, mainly seen during migration in eastern and southern coastal areas.
They are among the rarest breeding birds in the UK, with a maximum of three pairs raising their young each year. Isolated breeding reports have been recorded in the Shetland Isles, Wales and in south-west England in recent years.
Up to 3,200 meters
Temperate, Subtropical
This map gives you a rough idea of where you might spot a Red-backed Shrike. The coloured areas show countries where these birds have been seen.
A few things to keep in mind:
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